KARACHI:
Muhammad Yasin Khan Azad, the newly elected Supreme Court Bar Association President, addressed a meeting held by the Sindh High Court Bar Association (SHCBA) on Tuesday.
The meeting was held to protest the killing of lawyers in Karachi but while the president condemned the killing and called for protection of lawyers, he spoke of other issues as well. Azad said that development projects initiated by his predecessor, Asma Jahangir, would continue. He also called on the government to appoint new judges to the existing vacancies, including lawyers from rural Sindh. The appointment of judges shall be based purely on merit and not on political basis or favouritism, he added.
He cited two judgments, one in a case filed by al Jihad trust and another in a case filed by the SHCBA itself, in which the Supreme Court decided on the principle of seniority. He felt that the same principle should be followed now.
In his address, Azad demanded that cause lists be issued a week before hearings to help apprise judges of cases.
The president felt that they needed to speed up a project for a 70-bed hostel for lawyers going to the apex court.
The government has announced the same healthcare for lawyers that is available to a grade 18 government servant, he added. The new president ended his speech with vows to protect democracy and the judiciary.
“We would guard the independence and freedom of judiciary be jealously,” he said, “but at the same time would not allow anyone to interfere in business of bar associations.”
Published in The Express Tribune, November 2nd, 2011.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ