Supreme Court Bar Association and Lahore High Court Bar Association on Thursday unanimously criticised the Judicial commission for not recommending lawyers of Lahore for elevation as judges of the High Courts.
Speakers at a general house meeting of the LHCBA strongly condemned rejection of names of many professional lawyers by the JC merely on reports of secret agencies, according to them.
The house also adopted a resolution unanimously in this regard and demanded of the JC to appoint professional lawyers instead of sessions judges to fill the vacant posts of LHC judges.
Addressing the house, SCBA president Asma Jahangir said the judicial commission should act in accordance with the law and within its constitutional jurisdiction. She slammed the commission for not recommending names of ‘competent’ lawyers only because of secret agencies’ reports.
She said, “Only bar members prove to be neutral and good judges while the judicial officers help get matters decided in a favourable and obedient manner.” Jahangir said that there is a huge backlog of cases related to ordinary people before higher and superior courts. She urged judiciary to also hear such cases along with important cases.
LHCBA president Asghar Ali Gill said the bar always raised voice against injustice and illegality at all levels. He questioned the members of the judicial commission as to why they did not object character assassination of lawyers in reports of secret agencies. He regretted that the government decision to elevate an Sindh MPA to minister even though he committed contempt of court.
Gill criticised the JC for not recommending any lawyer from Lahore for elevation and demanded to appoint professional and bold lawyers as judges immediately.
Pakistan bar council member Azam Nazir Tarar also spoke on the occasion and regretted that lawyers sacrificed their lives and families for judiciary restoration movement, but the now judicial officers were given preference on them. He said a judicial officer cannot be an independent judge of higher courts.
Besides LHCBA’s secretary Arshad Malik Awan, Liaqat Ali Qureshi, Muhammad Sharif Chohan, Ahmad Awais, Mian Muhammad Jahangir and Mian Muhammad Azam also addressed the house.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 29th, 2011.
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