Contesting the law: G-B’s apex court admits petition against services tribunal
Lawyer bodies seek reversal of appointments.
Lawyer bodies seek reversal of appointments. CREATIVE COMMONS
GILGIT:
The chief court of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) has admitted a petition challenging recently made appointments in the G-B services tribunal.
“Notices have been issued to the chief minister, governor and others for a regular hearing,” said G-B Supreme Court Bar Association President Advocate Shahbaz Khan on Thursday. “We have also challenged the ordinance that led to the appointments.”
The petition was filed jointly by lawyer bodies, including the Supreme Court bar, High Court bar, Skardu district and Gilgit district bar associations, pleading reversal of the appointments and the ordinance.
G-B Governor Pir Karam Ali issued an ordinance last week, establishing the first ever services tribunal in G-B. Through the ordinance, former bureaucrat Hafizur Rahman was made its chairman and two others – district judge Khurshid Alam and bureaucrat Fida Hussain – were made its members.
The G-B Assembly had passed the services tribunal law a couple of years back; however, the governor approved it just last week.
In a press release issued by the bar association last Saturday, lawyers termed the ordinance “the worst example of legislation in G-B’s history”, adding that it has robbed lawyers of their rights.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 28th, 2014.
Correction: In an earlier version of the story it said the Supreme Apellate Court admitted the petition instead of chief court. The error is regretted.
The chief court of Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) has admitted a petition challenging recently made appointments in the G-B services tribunal.
“Notices have been issued to the chief minister, governor and others for a regular hearing,” said G-B Supreme Court Bar Association President Advocate Shahbaz Khan on Thursday. “We have also challenged the ordinance that led to the appointments.”
The petition was filed jointly by lawyer bodies, including the Supreme Court bar, High Court bar, Skardu district and Gilgit district bar associations, pleading reversal of the appointments and the ordinance.
G-B Governor Pir Karam Ali issued an ordinance last week, establishing the first ever services tribunal in G-B. Through the ordinance, former bureaucrat Hafizur Rahman was made its chairman and two others – district judge Khurshid Alam and bureaucrat Fida Hussain – were made its members.
The G-B Assembly had passed the services tribunal law a couple of years back; however, the governor approved it just last week.
In a press release issued by the bar association last Saturday, lawyers termed the ordinance “the worst example of legislation in G-B’s history”, adding that it has robbed lawyers of their rights.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 28th, 2014.
Correction: In an earlier version of the story it said the Supreme Apellate Court admitted the petition instead of chief court. The error is regretted.