Lawyers’ politics: LBA divided over taking part in JI show

Lahore. The Lahore Bar Association (LBA) is divided over taking part in the upcoming Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) public gathering.

On November 10, JI ameer Sirajul Haq had addressed the bar association and sought lawyers’ support for its Tehreek-i-Pakistan gatherings, scheduled from November 21 to 23. Siraj had said that his party was working to establish the rule of law and the lawyers should join the movement. Talking to The Express Tribune, LBA president Chaudhry Ishtiaq said that he and his colleagues supported the JI on rule of law only. “It is not a demand exclusive to the JI. All political parties and citizens of the country have similar agendas. We will not join the JI’s public gathering because we do not want to become part of party politics. My affiliation with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is no secret. How can I join the JI’s gathering?” he said. LBA general secretary Chaudhry Saleem Ladhi said that he would take part in the gathering along with several executive members on November 23 in an “enthusiastic manner”. “We support the JI and their cause for a better Pakistan. All of us want rule of law in the country,” he said. To a question about the LBA president’s stance, Ladhi said that it was Ishtaiq’s personal opinion. “It is not the stance of all LBA representatives. I will try to persuade Ishtaiq and take him to the JI’s public gathering,” he said.

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