Bars condemn criticism of judiciary, ECP

Leaders of the country’s superior bars on Monday praised the recent judgments of the Supreme Court, saying that the independent judiciary was working diligently in accordance with the Constitution and the law to provide justice.

Speaking at a joint news conference, the leaders of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) said that any criticism against the judiciary could not be tolerated.

Those present at the news conference were PBC Vice Chairman Hafeezur Rehman Chaudhry, SCBA President Ahsan Bhoon LHCBA President Sardar Akbar Ali Dogar, Vice President Sohail Shafiq Chaudhry and Finance Secretary Rana Ali Akhtar Khan.

They said that during the current crisis, the Supreme Court took decisions in accordance with the Constitution and the law without taking into account the likes or dislikes of any political party. However, they regretted that some unscrupulous elements were criticising the decisions they did not like.

“The Supreme Court has done a great job in recent times by upholding the Constitution and the law,” Bhoon said. “A group on the social media is spewing poison against the judiciary. Criticism of the judiciary will not be tolerated,” he added.

The bar leaders strongly condemned those elements, who had resorted to misleading the people through their nefarious propaganda on the social media. They demanded of the authorities to take action against them.

Speaking about the ‘Lettergate’, the lawyers said that former prime minister Imran Khan had spared no effort to isolate Pakistan at the international level through the ‘Lettergate’. They urged the government to make every effort to restore Pakistan's relations at the international level.

Read More: PTI to protest outside ECP offices across country from Tuesday: Fawad

The lawyers also slammed the former prime minister for criticising the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) and demanding resignation of Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Sikandar Sultan Raja, who was appointed to the post by Imran himself.

They said that two members of the ECP – Nisar Durrani Advocate from Sindh and Shah Muhammad Jatoi Advocate from Balochistan – were very capable and honest persons. They also demanded the appointment of the remaining two members of the ECP from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab.

They said that a nefarious campaign was launched against the ECP because of the hearing of the foreign funding case against the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). The lawyers said that funds of all political parties should be investigated without any discrimination.

On the occasion, the bar leaders prayed for the departed soul of former president of Mandi Bahauddin Bar Pervaiz Ranjha, who was shot dead on Sunday. They asked the police to arrest the murderers immediately and bring them to justice.