Hamid Khan group backs Justice Isa against reference

ISLAMABAD: The Professional Group of legal fraternity led by senior leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) senior advocate Hamid Khan on Tuesday announced to fully support Justice Qazi Faez Isa saying the Presidential Reference was filed against Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Judge of the Supreme Court on mala fide intention.

“The government has filed the presidential reference on mala fide intention and we will fully endorse the call given by the legal fraternity for observing countrywide strike on June 14”, Hamid Khan told media here in the Supreme Court.

Hamid Khan who is a senior leader of ruling PTI and member of Pakistan Bar Council form Professional Group having nine members said that they fully endorsed the decision taken during the Joint meeting of representatives of Pakistan Bar Council and Bar Councils across the country for observing complete strike on June 14.

The Supreme Judicial Council is going to take up on June 14, Presidential Reference filed against Justice Qazi Faez Isa of the Supreme Court and KK Agha Judge of the Sindh High Court.

The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), the apex body of the legal fraternity will meet today (Wednesday) in the Supreme Court to consider the recommendations put forward by the legal fraternity last week in connections with the Presidential Reference filed against Justice Isa and KK Agha.

On June, 8 the joint meeting of the representatives Pakistan Bar Council as well as provincial bar councils had unanimously agreed that the presidential reference was filed against Justice Qazi Faez Isa on mala fide intention. It had further resolved that neither the Supreme Judicial Council could hear the presidential reference nor the reference filed against two judges falls under the ambit of misconduct.

It had demanded of the government to withdraw the references at the earliest adding that if the Supreme Judicial Council dismissed the reference then both Prime Minister and Law Minister should resign.

The joint meeting had also maintained that it was not against the accountability process but wants it should be transparent and not on the basis of discrimination. Similarly, the meeting had also unanimously decided to observe countrywide complete strike across the country on June 14.

The meeting had held that a peaceful protest will be observe adding that all bar councils’ at their respective areas will peacefully protest and boycott the courts on June 14 within the ambit of law.

The joint meeting had demanded resignations of Federal Minister for Law and Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Dr Farogh Naseem and Attorney General for Pakistan Anwar Mansoor Khan. Similarly it had also recommended for cancellation of PBC Membership of Law Minister Farogh Naseem as well as of Attorney General of Pakistan. We will consider today all the recommendations put forward by the joint meeting in connection with observing strike on June 14 as well other demands made”, Syed Amjid Shah, Vice Chairman Pakistan Bar Council told The News.

He said that hopefully the demand made by the joint meeting on June 8 will be endorsed with majority. Amjid Shah who is the Vice Chairman of Pakistan Bar Council leading an Independent Group with majority of 14 members said that they are of the view that the Supreme Judicial Council should decide the Presidential Reference on merit and in accordance with law and constitution.

We have given a countrywide call for observing a peaceful strike on June 14 wherein provincial bar councils at their respective areas will hold a peaceful protest and will boycott the courts proceedings, Shah said

Meanwhile, Rashid A Rizvi, former president Supreme Court Bar Association and member of Pakistan Bar Council from Professional Group of Hamid Khan said that they will endorse the strike call of June 14 as well as withdrawal of Presidential Reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice KK Agha.