Rights of advocates: Multan bar announces protest movement

Lawyers to fight for representation of south Punjab among high court judges

MULTAN: The legal fraternity of Multan has announced a complete strike on October 13 against the non-representation of lawyers from south Punjab in the hiring of high court judges.

“The judicial commission meeting to be held on October 17 does not have a single lawyer from south Punjab,” High Court Bar Association President Jamshed Hayyat said while addressing a press conference in Multan. “None of the advocates have been considered for hiring as a high court judge.”

He said lawyers would boycott all court proceedings and take out a rally from Katchehry Chowk On October 13. The legal eagles would also stage a sit-in which will continue till October 17. If the demands were not met, the lawyers would initiate a movement and formulate their future strategy, he added.

District Bar President Azeemul Haq said this act of judicial commission once again proved discrimination against the lawyers of south Punjab.

The lawyers also passed a resolution to initiate a movement for a separate province and establishment of an independent high court.

Former president of High Court Bar Association Athar Hassan Shah Bukhari said people at the helm of affairs had snatched the right of lawyers of south Punjab by not giving them representation in the selection of judges for high court, alleging they had always faced discrimination.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 12^th, 2016.