Bars unite over LHC judges snub

RAWALPINDI:

The Rawalpindi High Court Bar Association has convened an important meeting of bar representatives from seven districts and 30 tehsils on Monday (today) to formulate a protest strategy over what it described as the continued neglect of Rawalpindi Division in appointments to the Lahore High Court since 2017.

The meeting, to be chaired by Bar President Saeed Yousaf Khan, will be attended by presidents and secretaries of district and tehsil bar associations from Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum, Chakwal, Talagang, Mianwali and Murree.

Secretary General Qasim Mahmood Malik said Rawalpindi Division had historically produced distinguished judges but was now being consistently overlooked, which was unacceptable. He said consultations had also been held with lawyers affiliated with the Pakistan Peoples Lawyers Forum, PML-N Lawyers, Jamaat-i-Islami, Tehreek-i-Labbaik, JUI and other political and religious groups, and that a unanimous course of action would be announced after the meeting.

Meanwhile, nine newly appointed additional judges of the Lahore High Court will take oath on Monday at a ceremony to be held at the Lahore High Court.

Chief Justice Aalia Neelum will administer the oath. Judges from the Rawalpindi bench will also attend the ceremony.