HAFIZABAD – On the calls of Punjab, district and tehsil bar associations, the lawyers in Arifwala, Sargodha, Burewala and Hafizabad like other districts observed strike to express solidarity with Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry.

Hafizabad DBA and Pindi Bhattian TBA boycotted the courts to express their solidarity with the chief justice and pledged that the lawyers of Pakistan were standing like rock behind the CJ and would foil all conspiracies being hatched by the ruling elite through their cronies.
They warned that the rulers and those having vested interest, including some so-called media persons have been exposed and the authorities should take strict action against them. They appreciated the last Thursday’s verdict of the apex court asking the Attorney General to take an action against Malik Riaz, his son-in-law Salman and Dr Arslan, saying that the decision had proved that the judiciary is absolutely independent.
However, Arifwala Bar Association also observed strike and boycotted the courts on the call of Punjab Bar Council in favour of Supreme Court CHIEF JUSTICE Iftikhar Mohammad. No lawyer appeared in courts. The litigants faced many difficulties due to strike. Bar Association Arifwala also announced strike today.
The Burewala Bar Association expressed solidarity with the chief justice and the judiciary by staging a protest. They termed the allegations against the CJ a conspiracy to tarnish the image of the judiciary.
The bar office-bearers and members observed a complete strike here on Friday to express solidarity with Chief Justice and condemned Malik Riaz’s remarks against the top judge of the country. Zahoor Dogar, the bar general secretary, said that the establishment was using Malik Riaz against the chief justice as a tool.
“Malik Riaz is playing in the hands of the president and the prime minister but he will have to face the music,” he said, pointing out that there were more than 100 cases against Bahria Town. The lawyers took out a protest rally and blocked Multan Road to register their protest. Senior lawyers including Muhammad Iqbal Gujjar, Muhammad Rehman, Rao Habibur Rehman, Hafiz Atif Riaz, Ali Iqtedar Lally, Mubeen Bhatti and others said a conspiracy was being hatched against the judiciary.
On the other, the Sargodha District Bar Association announced a two-day strike in favour of the chief justice. The lawyers’ fraternity on Friday observed strike and took out a rally to express solidarity with the chief justice on the call of the District Bar Association. DBA President Shamas Naveed Cheema and other office-bearers said while addressing the participants of the protest rally that lawyers are united and would not tolerate any plot against the Supreme Court and the CJ.