In almost every Pakistani city lawyers and judges have gathered to protest against the imposition of the state of emergency proclaimed by General Musharraf on November 3rd. The military arrests protesters, who launch a boycott.

Islamabad (AsiaNews/Agencies) – Soldiers from the Pakistani military clashed this morning with groups of lawyers protesting the imposition of the sate of emergency November 3rd last by General Musharraf.  Armed with batons, the soldiers arrested protesters, thus quashing the first public protest against the regime.

In the southern city of Karachi, the police beat up over one hundred lawyers forcing them outside of the courtyard of the provincial high court where they then arrested them.  According to Rashid Rizvi, former judge and lawyer, the wounded were denied access to medical aid during the arrest: “With this state of emergency Musharraf is destroying the country”.

Members of the judicial power in the country – magistrates and lawyers – have been the driving force behind anti-Musharraf protests which have sprung up since the beginning of the year.  They were motivated by Islamabad’s decision to remove Iftikhar Chaundry, president of the Supreme Court, considered to be one of the great guarantors of democracy.

Chaundry was due to judge Musharraf’s eligibility for re-election according to the nation’s constitution, by mid November.  The military arrested him just hours after general Musharraf’s taking power, the second time he has led a coup in just eight years.

Beyond the popular protest, lawyers have decided to boycott all attempts to re-establish the judicial system in the country.  Latif Afridi, president of the bar council in the north-western city of Peshawar says: “''Police have arrested hundreds of lawyers from various parts of Pakistan, but we will boycott the court and try to hold rallies where ever it is possible. We will do it to express our angers against Musharraf”.

In a demonstration of the serious nature of the boycott, In Multan, a central city, dozens of lawyers chased a car bringing two newly appointed judges to the high court there and chanted ''Shame on you!'' and “Traitor judges!”. The police arrested almost all of the protesting lawyers.

 

• PAKISTAN
• LAWYERS
• PROTEST
• MUSHARRAF
• STATE
• OF
• EMERGENCY