SCBA president returns cheque worth Rs1 million

The cheque had been handed to the SCBA president by Babar Awan for the welfare of the bar body's employees

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Qazi Anwar on Tuesday returned a cheque, worth Rs1 million, given to the association earlier by Law Minister Babar Awan.

Speaking to the media outside the Supreme Court, Qazi Anwar said that accepting such an amount was creating doubts about his credibility. He said that Babar Awan had come to him and offered him a cheque bearing Rs1 million for the welfare of the Supreme Court employees.

Qazi Anwar said that a fraction of the media had started a character assassination campaign against him, and he had decided to return the cheque because of this reason.

He later disposed off the cheque in front of the media.

Updated from print version (below)

Awan hands Rs1m to SCBA president

Law Minister Babar Awan on Monday handed over a Rs1 million cheque to the president of Supreme Court Bar Association Qazi Anwar for the welfare of the bar body’s employees on a visit to its office.

Aside from making announcement of Rs4 million grant for the SCBA library, the minister also gifted 100 copies of the Constitution to SCBA president.

Qazi Anwar thanked the law minster for his gifts and announcements for the welfare of SCBA employees and library.

Later while jointly addressing the media in the Supreme Court premises, the law minister said that he has been provided an opportunity to sit together with his colleagues and to contribute to the welfare of the lawyers.

“We will formulate concrete future strategies with the support of the Supreme Court Bar Association,” the minister said, adding that the expected legislation is not being made in parliament and in this regard he will move forward under the guidance of the SCBA.

To ease the case load of lower courts, he said, the law ministry has prepared a bill which will be sent to the lawyers of SCBA for their perusal and suggestions, adding that the law ministry is not his personal estate and that he belonged to the lawyers’ community.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 19^th, 2010.