LAHORE:
The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) said on Saturday that Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani is still legally and constitutionally the chief executive of Pakistan.
Speaking at a news briefing after a meeting of the All Pakistan Lawyers Representatives, PBC Vice-Chairman Akhtar Hussain said the premier had the right to appeal against the Supreme Court verdict and that a reference was required to be sent to the National Assembly speaker for his disqualification. Hussain also said that lawyers would take their own decision on whether or not to join the long march and would not become a “tool in the hands of any political party”.
The lawyers unanimously rejected the practice of appointing acting or ad hoc judges in the Supreme Court, particularly because a permanent post has been vacant for several months and should be filled, preferably on the principle of seniority.
Such an appointment could only be made after approval by the president on the advice of the prime minister and was likely to create another political deadlock, Hussain added.
He said the bar leaders believed that the formation of the bench for the hearing of the prime minister’s contempt case appeal was so far premature and it would be appropriate to constitute a bench after an appeal was filed.
Once the permanent vacancy was filled and after Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali returns to the bench, there would be at least eight judges available to hear the appeal, Hussain added.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 6th, 2012.
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Only two comments?!
Since the educated ET reading class is more interesting in listening and commenting on what tv anchors, politicians or ex servicemen have to say but not what official representatives of upholders of Constitution have to say. What a pity!
There is dire need to amend and add a clause in the constitution for our judiciary to be accountable on the judges incompetence, bias and political stance on their judgments. A commercial and political favor may compromise certain decisions and considered as a bribe and a contradiction and double standard could be considered as incompetence.
Kudos to the PBC and down with ad hoc and extensions of self appointed Judges like Ali Baba and the gang. Any and all judges should be appointed according to the constitution and not by an individual. How can the bench dispense justice if it is constituted prematurely and unconstitutionally based upon tried and tested judges by the Chief? The country needs independent judges not cronies who only sign unanimous decisions.