KP lawyers protest abolition of two-year practice rule for civil judges

Bar council leads court boycott over recruitment changes

Lawyers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa staged a protest today against the government’s decision to abolish the two-year legal practice requirement for the recruitment of civil judges. The move has triggered widespread concern among the legal community, who view it as a departure from established norms designed to ensure merit-based recruitment.

On the call of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council, lawyers across the province refused to appear in courts today, marking a significant disruption in routine judicial proceedings and reflecting the strong disapproval of lawyers regarding the recent changes to the civil judges recruitment procedure.

Lawyers emphasised that the two-year legal practice requirement is crucial for maintaining standards in the judiciary and ensuring that only experienced practitioners are eligible for civil judge positions.

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They described the decision to abolish this requirement as wrong and unjust, expressing fears that it could undermine the quality of the judicial system.

According to the protesting lawyers, the two-year experience condition was originally set after consultation with the KP Bar Council and the Peshawar High Court. They pointed out that the recent alterations to the recruitment process were made without any consultation with either the Peshawar High Court or the KP Bar Council, which they said goes against established procedures and consensus.

Lawyers further stated that removing the two-year legal practice requirement is being done to pave the way for favouritism in the recruitment of civil judges. They warned that such changes could compromise transparency and fairness in judicial appointments.