ISLAMABAD: Protesting lawyers staged a sit-in at D-Chowk on Monday, voicing opposition to the 26th Constitutional Amendment and the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) meeting.
A large contingent of police, equipped with prison vans and barbed wire, blocked routes leading to the Red Zone to prevent the demonstrators from advancing further.
The Islamabad High Court Bar Association President, Riasat Ali Azad, was among those present at the sit-in, where lawyers alleged that police baton-charged their colleagues near Serena Chowk. Some protestors reportedly managed to reach the Supreme Court, while others gathered outside the Islamabad High Court.
Barrister Ali Zafar spoke to reporters outside the Supreme Court, urging a delay of the JCP meeting until the issue of judges’ seniority was resolved. He questioned the potential appointment of the Islamabad High Court Chief Justice to the Supreme Court, asking, “If he becomes a judge of the SC, who will then be the senior-most judge after him?”
Despite concerns, Barrister Zafar confirmed his intention to attend the JCP meeting. “If we boycott the meeting, we won’t achieve our objectives,” he said, emphasizing the importance of resolving seniority issues.
Senior lawyer Munir A Malik addressed protesters, describing the 26th Amendment as “an assault on the judiciary and the state.” He criticised the government’s tactics to restrict protests, noting the closure of roads throughout Islamabad.
Ali Ahmad Kurd, another prominent legal figure, stood by the protesting lawyers, stating, “Those who passed the amendment at 2:00 AM should be ashamed. We reject this amendment and call for the JCP meeting’s postponement.”
The protestors carried banners rejecting the amendment, raising slogans for “freedom” and unity among lawyers.
The protest caused major disruptions in Islamabad. Key routes to the Red Zone, including Serena, Express, and Nadra chowks, were barricaded. The metro bus service from Rawalpindi to Islamabad was also partially suspended for “security reasons,” with services operating only up to Faiz Ahmed Faiz Station.
The blockade led to heavy traffic jams, particularly at Margalla Road, as long lines of vehicles formed in attempts to access the Red Zone.
The lawyers’ protests are part of a series of demonstrations that began on February 3 with a strike in Islamabad, opposing the transfer of three high court judges to the IHC. Though the Karachi Bar Association supported the strike, participation was limited.
Last month, the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) also filed an application in the Supreme Court, seeking the postponement of the JCP meeting.
