Lawyers observe strike against NJPMC decisions

PESHAWAR: The lawyers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednesday observed complete strike to press the demand for reversal of decisions of National Judicial Policy Making Committee (NJPMC) on sections 22-A and 22-B of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) and restoration of the previous practice of submission of the applications for registration of the FIRs under the same sections. Like other parts of the province, the lawyers in the provincial capital also observed a complete strike and stayed away from courts.

They observed the strike on the call of the Pakistan Bar Council, which was further extended by the KP Bar Council and Peshawar High Court Bar Association. It would continue today. The Pakistan Bar Council on Tuesday gave the call for two-day strike against the decision of the NJPMC. PHC Bar Association general secretary Yasir Khattak told The News that the strike call was for the two main decisions, i.e. one, the withdrawal of the powers of Justice of Peace from the sessions judges under section 22-A and 22-B of CrPC for an order of the FIR after police refusal on the application of complainant, and secondly, the trial of the murder case within four days. “Our strike is for litigants. Tomorrow, people may face further injustice at the hands of the police, who normally discourage and avoid registration of FIRs,” he added. On March 11, the NJPMC under the chairmanship of Chief Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa had resolved that the applications under Section 22-A and Section 22-B under CrPC may be entertained by the Superintendent of Police (complaints).