PbBC delegation meets CJP: CJP stresses on discouraging strikes by bar associations

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed Tuesday stressed the need to discourage the trend of strikes by bar associations, for upholding the dignity and sanctity of the profession and institution.

A delegation of Punjab Bar Council (PbBC), headed by Farhan Shahzad, Vice Chairman, and comprising Mian Arshad Ali, chairman Pakistan Law Journal (PLJ) committee, called on the CJP here at the Supreme Court.

The CJ said it had been observed that there was a trend of strikes by the bar associations on petty affairs that not only affected the court proceedings but also worsened despondencies of litigants, bringing a bad name for the institution of judiciary.

“This practice needs to be discouraged to uphold dignity, integrity, respect, honour and sanctity of the profession and institution,” the CJP said. He said that tedious task of dispensation of justice was entrusted to the institution of judiciary which could not be fulfilled without proper assistance of the bar; therefore, both bench and bar should work hard for dispensation of justice so that aggrieved parties could get swift relief.

Being part of same system, the CJP said that the bench and bar had close cordial relations; therefore, he always visited bar associations whenever invited. The bar members informed the CJP that the practice of strikes had been discouraged up to 95% in Punjab. They discussed the issue of faulty investigation in criminal justice system.

The chief justice told the delegation that the issue would be discussed at the forum of Police Reforms Committee in the forthcoming meeting. The delegation pointed out that there were insufficient security measures on the court premises due to which many incidents of security breach had been reported and no action had ever been taken against the delinquents.

They also informed that the Punjab Bar, being a regulatory body, had enhanced the internal accountability system and disciplinary action had been taken against lawyers on account of misconduct. But their appeals were still pending with the disciplinary tribunals, which were not effectively functioning.

The chief justice assured the delegation that the matter would be taken with the quarters concerned. The delegation presented souvenir as token of respect to the CJP.