Lawyers to protest govt references on July 13

PBC also announces convention to discuss appointment of judges, amendments to SC rules

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) has announced a countrywide strike on July 13 to protest against presidential references against the Supreme Court judge Qazi Faez Isa and the Sindh High Court judge K K Agha.

In its Wednesday press release, the PBC said the legal fraternity will stage a strike on July 13 against the references, which, they said, aim at undermining independence of judiciary.

In addition to observing strike, the lawyers will also attend a convention at the Peshawar High Court Bar to discuss the issues surrounding appointment of judges and amendments to the Supreme Court rules.

Justice Qazi Faez Isa's differences with judges

The convention will also hold discussions pertaining transparency of the Supreme Judicial Council’s (SJC) proceedings with regard to the references.  Other issues to be discussed include release of funds for bar council and bar associations as well as matters pertaining to incompetent and unauthorised judges.

On July 3, the Lawyers Action Committee of Pakistan expressed doubts over the SJC proceedings in a meeting, chaired by the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Vice Chairman Amjad Shah.

In the meeting, which continued for three hours, more than 35 representatives of superior bars took part.  However, the Lahore High Court Bar Association president and secretary were absent from the moot, showing the government’s success in dividing lawyers in the province of Punjab.

However there is strong support of Justice Isa in all three small provinces.  The action committee in its statement unanimously resolved that presidential references are based on mala fide and against the SJC rules, adding that lawyers believe it as attack on judiciary.