Superior Court bars disassociate from LHCBA call for protest

To make decision after consultation

ISLAMABAD: Superior court bars have disowned the Lahore High Court Bar Association ultimatum of resignation to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. 

LHCBA on Saturday had threatened to start a lawyer’s movement if the prime minister did not resign within seven days. Talking to the media, Pakistan Bar Council Vice Chairman Ahsan Bhoon said they believed that the PM should resign in view of the apex court’s verdict and the LHCBA announcement for a movement for his removal is premature and based on emotions. 

He added any such move would suggest distrust in the verdict delivered by the three judges who ruled in the majority and morally PM has lost his ground but legally he can stay in his office.

The PBC as a top regulatory body of lawyers will only take steps after getting input from representatives of all bar associations, he added. Bhoon urged the SC to finalise the members of JIT after examining their credentials. Likewise Supreme Court Bar Association General Secretary Aftab Bajwa said the SCBA would soon summon a convention of all lawyers’ representatives to discuss their opinions on starting a movement for the PM’s resignation.

About the LHCBA’s call he said it was the bar s own decision and the SCBA would not join it before consulting with all lawyers bodies. Islamabad High Court Bar Association president Arif Ch disowned the LHCBA call saying that they would not make any decision on the issue until consultations were held with all executive committee members. In comparison with other political parties the PML-N is not known to be particularly active in bar politics. Unsurprisingly, it is also not well represented in the bars.

On a related note no significant financial grants have been given to bar associations since the PML-N has been in power. It is likely that lawyers representatives will utilise this opportunity to demand funds for the welfare of their respective bars.

LHCBA President Chaudhry Zulfiqar happens to be affiliated with the Jamaat-i-Islami and is a close associate of the Hamid Khan lawyers’ group when it comes to bar politics. Hamid Khan is senior PTI member. Separately the PTI has decided to approach superior bars for their support in its drive for the PM’s resignation.