SHCBA suspends membership of 155 lawyers

HYDERABAD:

The Sindh High Court Bar Association (SHCBA), Hyderabad, has suspended the membership of 155 lawyers, including Sindh's minister for home affairs, over alleged dual membership, triggering a fresh controversy within the legal fraternity.

According to a circular issued by the SHCBA Hyderabad, the action was taken on the basis of lawyers holding memberships of more than one bar association. The circular bears the signatures of SHCBA Hyderabad President Ishrat Ali Lohar and General Secretary Israr Hussain Chang, and states that the memberships of 155 advocates of the Hyderabad bench have been suspended with immediate effect.

However, the Sindh Bar Council (SBC) has subsequently suspended the SHCBA circular. The decision was taken in light of written applications submitted to the SBC's Executive Committee by two of its members, Parkash Kumar and Sunder Das.

Consequently, the SBC suspended the SHCBA Hyderabad circular issued on January 21 regarding the suspension of memberships.