PbBC wants govt to seek law minister’s resignation

LAHORE: Punjab Bar Council (PbBC) Vice Chairman Akram Khaksar and members of its executive committee Monday demanded the federal government seek resignation from Law Minister Dr Farogh Nasim in the wake of controversy generated in reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa of the Supreme Court.

The vice chairman and the other members also distanced themselves from a statement issued in favour of the law minister by PbBC executive committee chairman Jamil Asghar Bhatti. They said the statement by Bhatti the other day did not represent the opinion of the whole bar council.

The executive committee members who jointly shared the statement with Khaksar are: Ch Ghulam Sarwar Nehang, Changez Khan Kakar, Syed Farhad Ali Shah and Habib Nawaz Tiwana.

They said all bar councils and associations of the country had a consensus view that the presidential reference against Justice Isa was based on mala fide intention and failed in dividing the judiciary. They said the role of Farogh Nasim in the whole episode of the reference had been very malicious and vindictive. They further said the legal fraternity of the country stood by the demand for the law minister’s resignation put by Pakistan Bar Council Vice Chairman Abid Saqi.

“We also urge the government to protect it from further embarrassment and remove the law minister forthwith,” the joint statement said. On Sunday, Bhatti in a statement condemned the demand for Nasim’s resignation. He claimed that there had been a targeted campaign against the law minister since he took COAS Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa’s extension case.