IBA directs lawyers to appear in courts today

IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani visit district courts, urge dialogue

ISLAMABAD: An apparent strike by judges of the district courts has ended after the bar on Tuesday directed all of its member lawyers to appear before the court for the hearing of their respective cases on Wednesday (today).

The announcement came after the leadership of the federal capital’s bar had been urged to sit with the judiciary to resolve any differences.

In a statement issued by the Islamabad Bar Association (IBA) General Secretary Raja Yasir Shakeel late on Tuesday, he said that cases will be heard in all the district courts of the federal capital on Wednesday (today), and directed lawyers to appear before the courts for the hearing of their respective cases. The statement suggested that a 40-day-long strike in the district courts on part of the lawyers and the judges had come to an end.

Earlier on Tuesday afternoon, Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani visited the district courts in Sector F-8 Kutchery.

While addressing members of the Islamabad bar, CJ Minallah stated that the bar had been at the forefront of the lawyer’s movement. He further said that it was their desire that judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) are elevated from the Islamabad Bar.

He further said that they wanted to make the judiciary a model for others, adding that it was also their responsibility to earn the trust of litigants.

But for this, he said that the lawyers need to make the judiciary a role model through their actions.

Referring to the issues at the courts, he said that a day before they took the oath of their office, a meeting was held with the office bearers of the bar where the issue of rotation of judges was discussed.

CJ Minallah went on to dispel the notion that judges in the district courts were on strike.

“My desire is that if someone has made a mistake, we should have large enough hearts [to forgive them],” he said, adding that he was in the district courts to speak what was in his heart.

He urged the bar to sit with the judiciary and resolve differences amicably, adding that the bar will be included in regulating issues at the district courts.

Earlier, Justice Kiyani in his address stated that issues are never solved through wars.

“There is no issue in this world which cannot be solved by through dialogue,” he said.

He added that there was insufficient space for all the lawyers in the district courts. However, he said that the bar council is dealing with this matter.

“This bar is our bar,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 30^th, 2019.