Lawyers continue boycott of courts against canals project

Legal work remained suspended at Karachi’s subordinate judiciary on Wednesday as lawyers continued their boycott of court proceedings in solidarity with their colleague's ongoing sit-in at the Babarloi Bypass against the contentious canals project.

Following the decision by the All Sindh Lawyers Action Committee, the Karachi Bar Association and the Malir Bar Association announced an indefinite boycott of court proceedings until the demands of the protesters camped at the Babarloi Bypass are met.

Due to the boycott, the City Courts — the largest judicial complex in the city — and the Malir district courts wore a deserted look. Lawyers locked all entrances to the City Courts except one designated for judges and court staff, barring litigants from entering the premises. Under-trial prisoners were also not produced for the hearing of their cases that had to be adjourned. Judges, however, attended to urgent matters in their chambers.