Fundamental rights: High court bar demands withdrawal of ‘black law’

Lawyers demand the government withdraw the bill.

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) on Thursday called the Protection of Pakistan Bill a “black law” and demanded that the government withdraw it.

An LHCBA general house meeting passed a resolution against the bill.

It said lawyers have the right to take the bill to court if the government does not withdraw it.

LHCBA president Shafqat Mahmud Chauhan said the bill was a negation of the constitution. He said lawyers would continue to voice their concern until the government withdrew the bill.

LHCBA vice president Amir Jalil Siddiqi said the bar had an obligation to challenge such laws.

“It will resist all unconstitutional laws,” he said.

He said during his past tenures too Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had supported some bad laws.

“We stand by democratic elements and are ready for every sacrifice,” Siddiqi said.

LHCBA secretary Muhammad Ahmad said the bill violated human rights protected in the constitution..



Under the bill, he said, law enforcement agencies would have the power to detain and question any citizen for up to three months.

“The bill is a black law… black coats are ready to resist it,” Advocate Ahmad Awais said. He said all rulers had been making laws in a bid to prolong their rule and the Protection of Pakistan Bill was one such bill.

He said the bill should be called “Protection of Rulers Bill” and not the Protection of Pakistan Bill.

“Such laws are made to victimise government’s opponents,” Awais said.

He said if enforced, the law would usurp the basic rights of citizens. He said the bill would also limit the powers of judiciary.

Some LHCBA members said they believed the bill represented a conspiracy against Nawaz Sharif.

LHCBA office bearers addressed a press conference after the meeting.

Chauhan said the impression that lawyers opposed a political party or government was false.

“We are only against the bad legislation. We will not let the authorities enforce it.”

“If the bill becomes an act, we will challenge it in the Supreme Court,” Chauhan said.

He said lawyers wanted to help strengthen the government but that was only possible if the government made no unconstitutional moves.

He said a lawyers’ convention would be arranged soon to develop a consensus against the bill.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 18^th, 2014.