Islamabad High Court seeks reply from PBC over amendment in rules

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday issued a notice and sought reply from the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) vice-chairman on a petition filed against an amendment that deprived the lawyers of their right to vote for two years after acquiring the practicing licence.

The IHC also directed that Attorney General Khalid Javed Khan to appear in the next hearing for court assistance.

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani heard the petition filed by Islamabad District Bar Association (IDBA) President Zafar Khokhar, PBC member Shoaib Shaheen and Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) former secretary Umair Baloch wherein amendment bill regarding the Legal Practitioners Act had been challenged.

The petition adopted the stance that Pakistan Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Rules 1976 were amended due to which young lawyers were affected.

It stated that through the amendment, the PBC deprived young lawyers of their right to vote for two years.

“The amendment is unconstitutional. The licensed lawyers cannot be deprived of their right to vote. Depriving the lawyers of their right to elect their leader is incomprehensible. This is a discriminatory treatment,” it said.

The petition urged the court to declare the PBC amendment null and void.

The court issued a notice and sought reply from the PBC vice-chairman.