Two-hour strike affects trials at city courts

Karachi

Members of the Karachi Bar Association (KBA) observed a two-hour strike as a mark of protest against the alleged negative attitude of certain new judges towards lawyers.

The decision to observe the strike for two hours daily for a week had been taken at a convention of the KBA members on April 23.

At the convention presided over by KBA President Mehmoodul Hassan, KBA Secretary Haq Nawaz Talpur and other officer-bearers had also supported the cause of the affected lawyers. 

It was noted that some of the recently appointed judges had cut a poor figure by showing a negative attitude towards lawyers. The attorneys mostly registered with the KBA were either denied an opportunity to appear in their cases or snubbed by the judges.

In some cases, the judges had sent references (to the chief justice of the Sindh High Court) seeking their disqualification.

Due to the KBA’s strike for two hours, many cases were adjourned by the courts and the under-trial prisoners were sent back to the central prison. Other litigants and families of under-trial prisoners were also affected by the protest that lasted from 8.30am to 10.30am.