The lawyers in Karachi announced to hold a joint protest meeting on March 9 along with the civil society and journalist organisations against the continuous detention of the deposed Supreme Court judges. “The lawyers will hold a protest meeting at the Karachi Press Club (KPC) on March 9 along with the civil society and journalist organisations,” President, Sindh High Court Bar Association (SHCBA), Rasheed A Razvi, told journalists at a press conference. “The lawyers’ movement has come into the final phase and the nation will soon hear the good news,” he said adding that the month of March will compel the people to march against those who are creating hurdles in the reinstatement of the judges. Justice (Retd) Razvi said that the All Pakistan Lawyers Convention to be held in Lahore on March 15 and the Bar Councils and associations will give the “long march call”. He urged the political parties to join the lawyers’ struggle for independence of the judiciary and reinstatement of the superior court judges. Regarding participation of the political parties, he said the All Parties Democratic Movement will be invited for their participation in the lawyers meeting besides other political parties. Karachi Bar Association (KBA), President Mehmoodul Hasan, made it clear that the lawyers’ black flag protest week was not against the newly-elected political parties but warned of strong resistance if these parties deviated from their promises regarding reinstatement of the superior court judges and independence of the judiciary. Uzma Noorani of the People’s Resistance and Karachi Union of Journalists President Khursheed Tanveer also supported the lawyers’ struggle for the independence of the judiciary and reinstatement of the deposed judges of the superior courts.
