SCBA supports LHC decision on new benches

LAHORE

Supreme Court Bar Association President Barrister Syed Ali Zafar has supported the decision of the Lahore High Court Full Court rejecting the demand of setting up more permanent benches of the court.

Barrister Ali Zafar stated that the basis of the decision of the Lahore High Court judges not to have further “divisional benches” was the independence, integrity and respect as well as efficient working of the court, which is the superior most court of the province.

He said the civil and district courts had been established to undertake work in the divisions, while the constitutional jurisdiction and the appellate and revisional jurisdictions against the judgements of the district judges and civil courts remained the jurisdiction of the high court. 

“If benches of the Lahore High Court are established in divisions, it will lead to equating the high court with the district courts,” Ali Zafar stated.

The SCBA president stated senior members of the bar and retired chief justices of the court were also of the view that establishment of further divisional benches of the LHC should be discouraged. However, Ali Zafar said lawyers from various divisions had genuine concerns and in order to meet those demands, the LHC should have special benches representing the districts within the principal seat at Lahore. He said when a lawyer comes from a district to Lahore that also gives a great opportunity to the lawyers from all over Pakistan to meet each other at one place, exchange views and hold dialogues with each other and thereby improve the professional integrity, acumen, knowledge, practice and standing of all lawyers.