–Lawyers wearing black armbands burn copies of references
against SC, SHC judges, hold sit-in outside SC
ISLAMABAD: Lawyers from bar councils across the country staged a
protest outside the Supreme Court (SC) on Friday and burned copies
of references filed by President Arif Alvi against SC Justice Qazi
Faez Isa and Sindh High Court (SHC) Justice KK Agha over
non-disclosure of foreign properties in their wealth
statements.
Wearing black bands in solidarity with the accused judges, the
Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) led the protest sit-in, as the
Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) comprising Chief Justice of Pakistan
(CJP) Asif Saeed Khosa, Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Sheikh Azmat
Saeed, SHC Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M. Shaikh and Peshawar High
Court (PHC) Chief Justice Waqar Ahmed commenced hearing of the
references against the two senior judges.
According to reports, Attorney General Anwar Mansoor, who had
received a notice from the SJC to appear as a prosecutor, persuaded
the council to begin formal proceedings into the matter. If the
council is convinced by Mansoor’s arguments, it will issue notices
to the judges, asking them to furnish replies to the allegations
levelled against them, or it may decide to drop the
proceedings.
The Karachi Bar Association has already cancelled the membership
of Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan and Law Minister Barrister
Farogh Naseem.
As the SJC proceedings started, Supreme Court Bar Association
(SCBA) President Amanullah Kanrani and other lawyers burnt copies
of the references. Banners with slogans against the two references
and demanding their withdrawal were put up on walls of the SC
building.
“Our voice is suppressed,” Kanrani said at a press conference,
adding that the unity between the SCBA and Pakistan Bar Council was
visible for all. “Today, lawyers from across the country showed
solidarity [with their protesting fellows].”
“The PBC has constituted an action committee and we are all
bound to obey its decisions.”
He announced that PBC Vice Chairman Amjad Shah will lead the
lawyers’ protest movement.
Lawyers’ leader Ali Ahmed Kurd claimed that the lawyers could
not be defeated.
“This partial democracy is intact because of us,” he said,
adding that it was not only an issue of a judge but of the entire
lawyers’ fraternity and people.
“I warn [the government] that the reference[s] are based on mala
fide intentions,” he said, insisting that the protesting lawyers’
viewpoint on the issue was valid.
“You [the government] want to deliver a message to other judges
and we are here to refrain you from doing so.”
He said that judges should be free in making their decisions and
Justice Isa was such a judge [who is free in his rulings]. He also
warned of a lawyers movement from Peshawar “which no one would be
able to halt”.
He regretted that “a small group of lawyers, on someone’s whims,
was attempting to sabotage the strike”.
Meanwhile, five benches of the apex court continued their
functions as per routine.
PROTEST IN QUETTA:
Members of Quetta’s legal fraternity staged a protest
demonstration at the Balochistan High Court (BHC) against the
reference. They chanted slogans against what they described as the
punishment of Justice Isa for his stance.
Balochistan Bar Council Executive Committee Chairman Advocate
Rahib Buledi, BHC Bar Association (BHCBA) President Shah Muhammad
Jatoi, and other prominent lawyers participated in the protest,
demanding the government withdraw the reference against Justice
Isa.
They claimed the reference was equivalent to pressuring judges
with regards to delivery of justice.
LAWYER GROUPS DIVIDED:
On Thursday, a group of lawyers associated with the Punjab Bar
Council (PbBC) had distanced themselves from the strike called by
the PBC.
Groups of lawyers belonging to Sindh and various bar
associations of Punjab had also opposed the call given by the PBC ─
the apex regulatory body of lawyers ─ for a countrywide strike.
Earlier this week, the bar councils — including the PBC, PbBC,
Sindh Bar Council, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council, Balochistan Bar
Council and Islamabad Bar Council — unanimously demanded the
withdrawal of the references since they were based on mala fide
intentions and were filed without adhering to the mandatory
provisions of relevant laws.
The Lahore Bar Association had also disassociated itself from
the strike call. The body held a meeting on Thursday, after which a
press release was issued, stating that the LBA had voted on and
passed a resolution in favour of SJC pursuing references against
the judges. The statement called for a speedy trial of the
judges.
The Lahore High Court Bar Association had also held a meeting on
Thursday to discuss five resolutions on the matter of the reference
against Justice Isa but, according to a statement issued by the
body, a ruckus ensured that the meeting was inconclusive.
LHCBA Secretary Fayyaz Ahmed Ranjha in a statement said the
meeting had fallen prey to mismanagement. He added that, if needed,
the resolutions would be tabled again on a suitable occasion. He
said that no notification had been issued with respect to a strike
on June 14.