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https://www.osac.gov/Reports/report.cfm?contentID=65253

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Pakistani Lawyers Continue Protests
Safety and Security
South / Central Asia - Pakistan
21 Mar 2007

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The Regional Security Office at U.S. Embassy Islamabad reported the following:

Protests in Pakistan over the proceedings against Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudry continue in Lahore, Karachi and Peshawar. On March 17, demonstrations in Lahore drew 10-12,000 people. At one point, lawyers began to throw stones and other items at police, who responded in kind and ultimately resorted to baton charges, tear gas and arrests to subdue the crowd. Sporadic demonstrations continued throughout Lahore on March 19, but no roadblocks or other disruptions where reported. Overall, the protests have been minimally violent compared to those seen in the recent past, especially compared to last year's demonstrations over the Danish cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.

Protests in Karachi and Peshawar continued throughout the weekend as well, but have been more subdued. A Karachi Bar Assocaiton demonstration planned for March 19 was postponed to March 20 due to rain. In the Northwest Frontier Province, lawyers continued to protest on March 17 and 19 with symbolic one-hour strikes at courts in Peshawar and other key cities in the province.

A nationwide "wheel jam protest," during which no traffic will be allowed to transit major city routes and commercial activities will cease, has been announced for March 21, when a Supreme Judicial Council hearing was originally scheduled to occur. However, on March 20, the Supreme Judicial Council hearing was rescheduled for April 3.

Foreigners have not been targeted by the protests.