Bar-bench dispute on proposed judicial reforms resolved

PBC vice chairman meets chief justice of Pakistan, announces to end strike and protest

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and All Pakistan Lawyers Representative Committee have announced to call off the agitation against the superior judiciary on the matter of establishing model courts and registering cases under Sections 22-A and 22B of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

The announcement comes following the meeting of PBC Vice Chairman Syed Amjad Shah with Chief Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa in Islamabad on Monday.

A delegation of lawyers fraternity and apex court Judge Manzoor Ahmed Malik also attended the meeting, said an official statement issued by the PBC.



The issues related to the establishment of model courts and registration of cases under CrPC were discussed at length during the meeting.

After due deliberations the issues raised by the bar council were resolved in an amicable manner, according to the comunique.

It added that the chief justice had assured that the bench and bar would work in harmony in dispensing justice.

All superior bars had announced country-wide lawyers’ strike and protest against the National Judicial Policy Making Committee’s (NJPMC) decision on the new method of registering FIRs, concluding a trial in four days under a new policy and the procedure for transferring and posting judges.

The NJPMC – a body which includes all chief justices and which seeks to bring judicial reforms in the country – had resolved that applications under Section 22-A CrPC might not be entertained by courts unless accompanied by decision of relevant district superintendent police (SP) for complaints.