Resolution passed: Bar wants officials who made illegal hirings in IHC to quit

Demands that SC’s order on unlawful appointments be implemented

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) adopted on Thursday a resolution demanding the resignations of the officials who had made illegal appointments in the Islamabad High Court.

“In order to implement para 30 and 85 of the Supreme Court judgment, all those responsible for (making) illegal appointments should quit their offices,” read the resolution.

“The bar association further resolves that in case the Supreme Court’s judgment is  not implemented, lawyers shall take direct action.”

Renowned lawyer Arif Chaudhry, who had pleaded the case against the illegal appointments in the IHC before the apex court, tabled the resolution in the IHCBA during a ceremony organised over his legal victory.

In a landmark judgment, the top court on Monday annulled 74 appointments in the IHC observing that the IHC’s then top judge and administration panel had disregarded their mandate in hiring these people.

Waqas Malik, the general secretary of IHCBA, warned that lawyers could lock the courtroom if the judges responsible for the illegal appointment did not quit. He added that the job of a judge requires utmost integrity and righteousness.

Malik further said that lawyers had rendered great sacrifices for the rule of law and restoration of judiciary, but the situation has since worsened owing to a growing culture of nepotism and favouritism.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 30^th, 2016.