CJP to address PHC lawyers’ convention on 18th.

PESHAWAR: Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry will address a lawyers’ convention at Peshawar High Court on February 18.

“All the arrangements have been made for the function, which will be participated by lawyers, political workers, students and other trade union leaders from across the province,” Abdul Latif Afridi, President Peshawar High Court Bar Association, told a news conference here on Friday.

Latif said that the lawyers would receive the chief justice at Motorway’s entry point sharply at 1 o’clock on the day of the function and would try to reach the venue for the gathering by 2 o’clock. “In view of the security situation of the province, we will try to keep the programme short and end it up by 4 o’clock,” he added.

He said arrangements have been made to accommodate 5000 people. “The people from all walks of life are enthused to attend the event and we understand their feelings, but due to the specific law and order situation we have invited limited number of people,” he remarked.

He paid tributes to the political workers for the sacrifices they rendered in the lawyers’ movement. “I pay homage to those martyred on May 12 in Karachi, July 16 in Islamabad and those burned alive,” he said. But due to shortage of space, only 10 representatives from each political party and other organisations have been invited to the programme.

To a question, Latif Afridi said that there was no need of official protocol to the chief justice nor they have made any demand to this effect. He expressed his satisfaction over the security measures taken by the provincial government for the previous programme that was addressed by the chief justice and expressed his optimism that the government would make similar security arrangement on this event too.

Speaking on the occasion, Ahmad Farooq Khattak, vice-chairman of NWFP Bar Association, announced that the lawyers would observe complete boycott of courts on February 18. He said that the chief justice would administer oath to all the newly elected cabinets of district bar associations on the occasion. He would also present commendation certificates to the lawyers who have rendered sacrifices in the lawyers’ movement.

link: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=162455