Lawyers reject constitutional amendments

ISLAMABAD:

Lawyers' organisations in Islamabad have closed ranks to oppose the proposed constitutional amendments, including the establishment of a federal constitutional court.

They collectively vowed to resist the changes with full force.

The legal fraternity asserted that it will stand firm against what they see as an attempt to undermine judicial independence, with many warning that this proposal could open a can of worms in the country's legal system.

Speaking at the All Pakistan Lawyers Convention (APLC) organised by the Islamabad Bar Council (IBC) on Monday, lawyers reaffirmed their commitment to safeguarding the Constitution, vowing not to tolerate any tampering with it.

Lawyers asserted their role as protectors of the Constitution, vowing to stand as an unbreakable wall.

They condemned the judicial package, describing it as a tactic by anti-democratic forces to gain control of the Supreme Court.

They said that when martial law could not be imposed, this alternative was devised.

A resolution rejecting the judicial package was unanimously passed at the convention, which saw participation from lawyers representing various bar councils.

Advocate Zulfiqar Abbasi, a member of the IBC, condemned the charges filed against lawyers, asserting that the convention had no political bias.

"This is not a function of any political party," Abbasi stressed. He further noted that while legislative reforms are essential, they must not be driven by malice.

Additional Secretary of the Supreme Court Bar Association Advocate Shehbaz Khosa lamented that the rights of 250 million Pakistanis were being trampled.

"These are the fundamental rights of both the people and the legal community," he added.

Senior lawyer Babar Awan warned that establishing a parallel judiciary within the Constitution would never be acceptable.

"We will not accept the creation of an alternate judiciary. History will soon change after this chapter is closed," he said.

Former PPP leader Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar expressed unity with the legal community, stating, "With the unity we have today, we will not allow constitutional amendments to pass".

Advocate Shakeel Abbasi of the District Bar Association suggested forming a constitutional bench within the SC instead of creating a new constitutional court.

He also called for reforms regarding the age and rotation of judges.

President of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) Riasat Ali Azad declared that despite the siege of Islamabad, lawyers from across the country were present in the capital.

"Bar councils are the walls that protect the judiciary. Don't weaken them. This amendment aims to dismantle Articles 183, 184, 190, and 199, and in doing so, they seek to create a political, not constitutional, court," Azad said.

He also urged the restoration of Article 4 to address issues in Balochistan, stressing that the Constitution laid down by former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto forms the basis of Pakistan's federation.

Former chairman of the IBC Raja Aleem Abbasi warned that creating a new court undermines the existing SC, calling it a "backdoor" tactic to strip the apex court of its authority.