SCBA hails meeting between PM, CJP

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Mian Muhammad Rauf Atta Thursday met Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi. He was accompanied by SCBA Senior Vice President Muhammad Nadeem Qureshi and Balochistan Bar Council member Khalil Panezai.

The SCBA president hailed the CJP for his initiatives taken for the efficient functioning of the court, which have effectively resulted in reduction of longstanding pendency. He appreciated the meeting held the CJP and the prime minister which focused on the judicial and law reforms necessary for establishing an efficient and effective judicial system.

The reforms are not only need of the hour but extremely essential for prompt dispensation of justice to the general public at the grassroot level, Atta opined. He suggested that to make the most of such policies, consistency in their implementation is crucial.

He reasserted his full confidence and support for the CJP on behalf of the SCBA and the entire legal fraternity, commending the chief justice’s efforts toward creating a robust judicial system aimed at improving overall effectiveness and efficiency.

Meanwhile, PTI parliamentary leader in the Senate Barrister Ali Zafar said on Thursday that the courts should stay out of politics. Speaking on Geo News programme “Capital Talk”, the PTI counsel said that such meetings should be “one-off” and not be routine practice. “The CJP should not make such meetings a routine [practice] as it gives the impression of politics.”

“It’s correct that the chief justice has called the opposition for the meeting and I am part of that delegation. I am going to Islamabad to meet him [chief justice] tomorrow at his residence,” he added. “This is unusual because I have never seen it before, that a chief justice meets a government and opposition delegation.”

It appears that such meetings may be an effort to bring the government and the opposition on the same page, the PTI leader said.

Responding to a question about the PTI’s upcoming power show, Barrister Zafar confirmed that there would be no clash between their public rally and ongoing ICC event. “The PTI is not being allowed to hold rallies in Punjab,” claimed the PTI leader.