Amid tensions: Chief justice not to attend global conference in India

Scraps October visit in view of flare-up of tensions between Islamabad and New Delhi

ISLAMABAD: With the rise in tension between India and Pakistan, Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali has decided against visiting the neighbouring state to attend the “Global Conference on National Initiative towards Strengthening Arbitration and Enforcement,” scheduled to be held between October 21 and 23.

The National Institute for Transforming India (NITI Aayog), in partnership with the federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), are organising a global conference on the 'National Initiative towards strengthening arbitration and enforcement in India' to promote the country as a global hub for arbitration among international practitioners, corporate houses and the legal fraternity.



The chief justice of India is the patron-in-chief of the conference.

Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale met the chief justice in July and invited him to attend the conference. Later, the Supreme Court registrar wrote a letter to the Foreign Office, seeking advice regarding the CJ’s visit to India.

In response to the letter, FO Director Saarc recommended that the chief justice may accept the invitation, adding that if the Kashmir situation deteriorated the matter could be reconsidered.

Following the escalation, the chief justice observed that owing to the “recent developments, it will not be possible for me to visit India”.

Earlier this week, India officially pulled out of the upcoming South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc) conference.

Pakistan Bar Council Vice Chairman Farogh Nasim while talking to The Express Tribune appreciated the chief justice’s refusal and said that legal community supports the Pakistan Army against any unpleasant escalation.

PBC vice chairman also urged the international community to stop India from taking aggressive steps.

Nasim stated that instead of giving provocative statements, politicians should raise their voice against the human rights violations by the Indian forces in Occupied Kashmir.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1^st, 2016.