Lawyers issue ultimatum for courts’ reopening

Despite Sindh govt's assurance, no measures had been taken for lawyers' welfare

KARACHI:

The Karachi Bar Association issued an ultimatum on Saturday, warning the government of suspending operations at all courts if they were not allowed to open in line with pandemic-related standard operating procedures (SOPs) two days after Eidul Azha.

Addressing a press conference, KBA president Muneer A Malik said, "Lawyers and petitioners, both are suffering due to courts' closure." He demanded of the law minister to grant permission to reopen them.

"It is courts where people take their issues after the Almighty but where will they go if the courts remain closed?" he questioned, assuring that lawyers would abide by all SOPs if the courts were allowed to open.

Malik pointed out that lawyers, like everyone else, had also been badly affected by the pandemic, complaining that many of them had to continue working without being paid salaries, while the federal and the provincial government did little to help them.

He said that Sindh government spokesperson Murtaza Wahab had assured them of the government's support, but no measures had been taken for lawyers' welfare.

On a different note, Malik, expressing dismay, said that only retired judges were being considered for appointments at special courts, whereas lawyers should be preferred for these postings.

Also speaking on the occasion, KBA general secretary GM Korai lamented that courts, which had stayed functional even during wars, had been closed for the past five months, and appealed to the Chief Justice of Pakistan in this regard.

"There are 50 people in a high court at a time, but not even 10 in a civil court," he noted, adding that 50 to 100 people could travel together in a bus but were not let inside a court.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 26^th, 2020.