SCBA, SHCBA condemn references against judges

President Kanrani says there is no doubt over Justice Isa’s honesty, patriotism

ISLAMABAD/KARACHI: The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the Sindh High Court Bar Association (SHCBA) have condemned the references filed by the federal government against the superior court judges.

Addressing the media in Islamabad after conducting a conference over the issue on Thursday, SCBA President Amanullah Kanrani said, “No action should be taken against any judge on the basis of judicial verdicts.”

The SCBA president said, “We will not allow any institution or government to play with the honour of a judge. As a judge, the character of Justice Qazi Faez Isa cannot be questioned. We stand by the judiciary.

“Today’s conference was normal as usual; however, I am speaking on Justice Isa’s issue as it is an important one. If there is any complaint against anyone, it should be followed as per the Constitution and law.”

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The SCBA president said any judge’s attitude or caste could be doubted, but there “is not a single doubt over Justice Qazi Faez Isa’s honesty and patriotism”.

“If a reference has been filed, the government’s act is condemnable,” said Kanrani. “Justice Isa belongs to a family, which helped make Pakistan. His wife owns a lot of land in Sindh and Balochistan. Justice Isa is rich beyond imagination.”

To a question, the president said the bar had not yet received any sort of confirmation of filing of a reference. “Our reaction is based on media reports.”

He said Justice Isa “should not have written a letter” to the president, adding that he acted “in haste”.

“If a reference hasn’t been filed, it is good, and if it has been filed, a transparent trial of all should be conducted, not a media one,” said Kanrani. “If a reference is filed, we will stand with the judiciary. If government takes any step against the judiciary, we will be with the latter.”

“There are many judicial verdicts in which judges are ashamed. A prime minister was hanged, but in this matter we condemn the character assassination of a judge,” said Kanrani. “Lawyers have fixed principles. Against the government, we will stand by the judiciary. If the matter is between the judiciary and the lawyers, we will be with the lawyers. We will follow the same principles in this matter also.”

Separately in Karachi, the SHCBA passed a resolution condemning the reference filed by the federal government against the superior court judges.

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Addressing an emergency meeting called by the SHCBA over the issue, former SHCBA president Rasheed Rizvi and lawyers said, “We will launch an even bigger movement than in 2007, if good judges are dismissed.”

In March 2007, the lawyers of the country launched a mass protest movement against the suspension of Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry as the chief justice of Pakistan by the then President Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf. Dozens of lives were lost and several others injured before Musharraf caved under the pressure of incessant non-violent civil resistance and reinstated Chaudhry Iftikhar as the chief justice on July 20, 2007.

SHCBA President Muhammad Aqil Advocate said, “Reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa is the counter blast of Quetta incident.”

In the resolution, the lawyers demanded taking back the reference, saying Justice Isa “is an honest and truthful person”.

“References filed against the judges are an attack on judicial independence,” they added.

Additional Attorney General Zahid F Ibrahim has already resigned in protest against the reference.