LHCBA passes resolution against military courts

LAHORE
THE Lahore High Court Bar Association on Thursday unanimously passed a resolution against the establishment of military courts in the country and urged parliamentarians to say ‘no’ to a bill likely to be tabled in the parliament to this effect.
A general house of the bar unanimously passed the resolution and rejected likely setting up of military courts in the wake of rampant terrorist activities. The house maintained that the Constitution had no room for establishment of military courts in any form. It resolved the strengthening of the prevalent justice system and capacity building of law enforcement and investigation agencies.
Bar’s vice president Amir Jalil Siddiqui conducted the meeting while secretary Mian Ahmad Chachar presented the resolution before the house. Former presidents of Supreme Court Bar Association Hamid Khan and Asma Jahangir, former president of Lahore Bar Association Zulfiqar Chaudhry, Barrister Zafarullah Khan and others addressed on the occasion.
The speakers strongly condemned Peshawar massacre and sought maximum punishment for the terrorists. However, they said that establishing military courts would not be an answer to terrorism as the country had already experienced such courts.
They said the establishment of the military courts was a sheer negation of basic human rights and the lawyers would not tolerate the extra-constitutional move. The speakers maintained that setting up the military courts amounted to defacing the Constitution of Pakistan. They stressed upon the need of overcoming the flaws of the present judicial system within the ambit of the Constitution. The house decided to convene an ‘All Pakistan Lawyers’ Representative Convention’ to debate on the establishment of military courts.
Anarkali fire case: The Lahore High Court Thursday sought reply from the Punjab government, Lahore Development Authority and Lahore DCO on a writ petition seeking implementation of building laws and action against the responsible for Anarkali plaza fire incident.
Justice Shahid Karim issued this order on a petition moved by a local lawyer questioning failure of the government departments concerned to implement the relevant laws to protect lives of innocent citizens. He said innocent citizens lost their lives in the Anarkali fire incident due to criminal negligence, inefficiency, carelessness and failure to implement the relevant laws especially building laws. The petitioner pleaded that a commission should be constituted for fixing the responsibilities and the reasons for such disasters and to lay out the future plan in order to protect the lives of the citizens. He asked the court to seek an explanation from the government authorities to explain their failure to overcome the fire tragedy within the best possible time. He sought penal action against the responsible persons directly or indirectly involved in the tragedy. After hearing initial argument, the court issued notices to the respondents and adjourned hearing for January 22.