Pakistan lawyers protest president's attempt to appoint judges

Last Updated: Tue, 16 Feb 2010 17:07:00 +1100

Pakistani lawyers have boycotted court proceedings in a protest against President Asif Ali Zardari, who's in a dispute with the Supreme Court over the appointment of judges.

On Saturday, a Supreme Court panel blocked an order from Mr Zardari issued earlier that day appointing two judges.

One was to the Supreme Court, the other as chief justice of the high court in the city of Lahore.

The court said Mr Zardari's order was a violation of the constitution as he had not consulted the Supreme Court chief on the appointments.

In response to his attempt to appoint the two judges, lawyers on Monday boycotted court proceedings.

They also protested in the capital Islamabad and other cities including Lahore, Peshawar, Karachi and Quetta as part of a strike called by the Supreme Court Bar Association.

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