SCBA, PBC ask govt to withdraw reference against Justice Isa

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) — the two main forums of legal fraternity — Thursday asked the government to withdraw the presidential reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa filed ‘on mala fide intention’. In a joint statement, Vice Chairman Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Abid Saqi and President Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) Syed Qalb-e–Hassan demanded that the federal government should immediately withdraw the reference.

They said the reference was prepared by Federal Minister for Law and Justice Farogh Nasim on mala fide intention to divide the judiciary and its motives and drives had now become clear to the public. They further said after failing to divide the judiciary, the minister was now bent upon dividing the legal fraternity.

"The resignation of former attorney general and refusal of newly appointed attorney general to pursue and represent the federal government in the presidential reference are sufficient proofs for exposing this conspiracy,” they maintained adding that the legal fraternity demanded an early withdrawal of the reference.

Meanwhile talking to The News, Saqi said Barrister Farogh Naseem had launched the war to divide the legal fraternity; however, he said they were united at one platform to protect the independence of judiciary, rule of law and supremacy of the Constitution.