PBC announces countrywide strike on 9th

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) on Tuesday, while announcing a countrywide strike on September 9, demanded that President Dr Arif Alvi exercise his constitutional authority under Article 48 of the Constitution and announce the date for holding general elections in the country.

The Pakistan Bar Council convened the All-Pakistan Lawyers Representatives Conference here in the Supreme Court. The conference aimed to discuss critical issues, including holding of general elections, challenges facing the legal community and ongoing economic crisis in Pakistan.

After the conference, Haroon Rashid, Vice-Chairman, and Hassan Raza Pasha, Chairman Executive Committee of the PBC, while addressing a press conference outside the Supreme Court, said that the conference had passed a resolution asking the president to exercise his authority under Article 48 of the Constitution and announce the date for holding general elections in the country.

In another resolution passed by the conference, Hassan Raza Pasha said that it was demanded that all the facilities of free electricity, gas, and telephone bills being provided to judges, generals, and bureaucracy be withdrawn, and the caretaker setup should ensure this within a week.

He said the conference demanded that missing persons be produced before the courts, adding that the conference has expressed grave concern over raids being made on the houses of legal fraternity. They said that lawyers are discharging their duties by the law and the Constitution.

Raza Pasha said that hearings on references filed against judges should be conducted at the earliest, and urged the designated chief justice, Qazi Faez Isa, to proceed with the references filed against judges.

He said that lawyers will bring out peaceful rallies on September 9 and there will be a complete strike, adding the Punjab Bar Council will also hold a convention in Lahore.

“Under Article 48 of the Constitution, the President of Pakistan is competent to announce the date for holding general elections, and they should be held within the stipulated 90 days,” Pasha said.

Haroon Rashid said at present there is a constitutional crisis in the country, adding that despite the dissolution of national and provincial assemblies, elections do not seem to be held within the stipulated time of 90 days.

Therefore, he said it is incumbent upon the president to play his constitutional role and announce the date for general elections in the country. “The president is not required to hold any consultation with anyone; hence, he should play his constitutional role and announce the date for general elections forthwith,” Haroon Rashid added.

He demanded withdrawal of incentives like free electricity, gas, and telephones being provided to judges, generals, and government officials, adding that these facilities should not be provided by the national exchequer.

He said that their next agenda item is the price hike, adding that the rise in daily use of commodities such as gas, electricity, and petroleum has made the lives of people miserable. Therefore, he said that they have to protect the interests of the nation.

Rashid said that apart from Balochistan, the issue of missing persons is increasing in other provinces of the country and, therefore, they demanded that the Bill for Protection of Lawyers be implemented at the earliest, adding that illegal raids being made on the houses of lawyers should be stopped forthwith.