LAHORE – The legal fraternity on Monday boycotted the court proceedings throughout the Punjab and observed Black Day against amended Contempt of Court Law 2012.
The Pakistan Bar Council, Punjab Bar Council and Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) had given the call of strike against the contempt law. The lawyers expressed solidarity with the Supreme Court and urged the govt to withdraw the new act. The lawyers hoisted black flags on the buildings of the bar associations. The lawyers also erected black flags along with the side wall of LHC building. Following request of strike by bar associations and councils, the judges of high court conducted hearings of only some urgent cases while complete strike observed at the district judiciary throughout the Punjab. Wearing black armband, the lawyers chanted slogans in favour of judiciary.
Some Litigant came to attend the courts seemed unhappy by the strike of lawyers.
The black coats believe that the contempt of court act against the fundamental rights of the masses and has been introduced to give protection to Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf when he will expectedly defy the apex court order to write letter to Swiss authorities for reopening of corruption cases against President Asif Ali Zardari. “Superior Judiciary will be supported at any cost whenever the government will try to destroy the institution. New contempt law was a black law as it aimed at subduing the free judiciary,” the lawyers vowed.
They warned the government to implement all judicial orders in letter and spirit.