ISLAMABAD. The lawyers’ strike in the Islamabad High Court and subordinate courts continued for the second day on Tuesday, with hearings in hundreds of cases adjourned without action.
The strike continued against the arrest of lawyers Iman Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha. Islamabad High Court Bar Association officials were present at the court entrance gate while the bar staff stood holding placards announcing the strike and protest. On the second day of the strike, a large number of lawyers continued to appear in courts and cases were postponed by informing about the strike.
Meanwhile, the District Bar Association also went on strike. About 30 per cent of lawyers appeared in courts and sought adjournment, while 70 per cent did not become part of court proceedings. The bar association continued to ban the entry of police into the judicial complex.
On the other hand, a dispute between the Islamabad High Court Bar Association and the Islamabad Police over the alleged inappropriate behaviour towards lawyers during the arrest and arraignment of Iman Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha was resolved after negotiations. In this regard, senior officers of the Islamabad Police visited the Islamabad High Court Bar where DIG Jawad Tariq, DIG Security Atiq and other police officers were present.
The police officers apologized to President Islamabad High Court Bar Wajid Ali Gilani and Secretary High Court Bar Manzoor Jaja for the behaviour towards lawyers and assured them of preventing such incidents in the future.
Manzoor Ahmad Jaja welcomed the police officers on their arrival and said mutual respect and institutional harmony between the bar and the police were indispensable. Representatives of the District Bar Association and the Islamabad Bar Council were also present during the meeting.
The IHCBA on this occasion demanded that full justice be provided to Iman Mazari and Hadi Ali Chatha and that the cases of both be fixed in the Islamabad High Court.
The IHCBA announced that there would be no strike after the resolution of the dispute.
