LAHORE: The Lahore High Court Bar Association and Lahore Bar Association on Monday expressed concern over the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, demanding the immediate withdrawal of the measures and announcing plans to challenge them in the Supreme Court.
The demand was made during a joint meeting of the two bar associations, attended by senior lawyers and representatives of the legal community.
Professional Group leader Hamid Khan attended the meeting alongside Lahore High Court Bar President Babar Murtaza Khan and Lahore Bar President Irfan Hayat Bajwa.
Former Lahore High Court Bar presidents Ishtiaq A. Khan and Asad Manzoor Butt, former Lahore Bar President Mubashir Rehman Chaudhry, Pakistan Bar Council member Shafqat Mahmood Chauhan and former Lahore High Court Bar Vice President Rabia Bajwa also attended the meeting, along with other lawyers.
Participants expressed concern over the suspension of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and demanded the revocation of emergency and governor’s rule in the province.
Following the meeting, lawyers from both bar associations staged a protest rally toward GPO Chowk, chanting slogans against the government over its actions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
A heavy police contingent was deployed in the area, while police stopped the protesting lawyers from proceeding onto Mall Road.
Lahore High Court Bar President Babar Murtaza Khan said the two bar associations had decided to jointly challenge the imposition of emergency and governor’s rule in the Supreme Court.
“The Lahore High Court Bar and Lahore Bar are jointly filing a petition in the Supreme Court against this illegal move,” he said.
Babar Murtaza also announced that the Lawyers’ Action Committee would meet at the Karachi Bar on Tuesday to discuss the situation.
He said the committee would announce its future course of action following the meeting.
