Pakistan Bar Council observes black day today

LAHORE: The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) on Wednesday announced to observe a black day today (Thursday) across the country to protest against the 21st Constitutional Amendment.

The PBC, in its 208th meeting held in Islamabad, condemned the amendments made in the Constitution and the Army Act for establishing the military courts.

During the black day, the bar associations will wear black arm bands while appearing before courts as a mark of protest.

Azim Nazir Tarar, newly-elected vice-chairman of the council, addressed a press conference at the LHCBA and said laws already existed in the country - criminal, anti-terrorism and others - for eliminating terrorism from the country; hence, new legislations should be avoided.

He said the political parties by supporting the 21st Amendment for establishing military courts in the presence of a democratic government had disappointed the nation.

Tarar said the jails are filled with innocent due to the glitches in the system, while the real criminals were moving freely, adding that there was a need to revamp the justice system.

He said it was a need of the hour that the Parliament, judiciary and other state institutions fulfilled their responsibilities and eliminated black sheep within their ranks.

Similarly, Chohan said, “Defending the Constitution was political parties’ job but we are doing it. The PML-N has failed to defend the Constitution. No lawyer will appear in military courts,” he said this while talking to media men outside Supreme Court.