Saturday, August 31, 2013

Neglecting bars in appointing judges : PBC summons meeting today

By Hasnaat Malik

ISLAMABAD: As the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) and Parliamentary Committee on Judges Appointment have approved the appointment of eight Sindh High Court (SHC) and three Balochistan High Court (BHC) additional judges and rejected the reservations of superior bars in this regard, Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) has summoned an important meeting today (Saturday) for evolving lawyers’ future plan on the current procedure related to the superior courts judges’ appointment.

Talking to Daily Times on Friday, PBC Executive Committee Chairman Mian Abbas Ahmad said that lawyers representative in the commission Yasin Azad would apprise the committee about the progress regarding the lawyers’ demands related to the amendments in JCP Rules 2010.

Expressing disappointment over the JCP’s proceedings, he said that PBC being an apex body of the lawyers would discuss in today’s meeting that whether the bars should send their representatives in the commission’s meetings or not in the future.

Meanwhile, as a private member bill was moved on Friday in the parliament by MNA Jamsheed Dasti for increasing the retirement age of Supreme Court’s judges from 65 to 67 years, PBC executive body has also decided to discuss this matter today (Saturday) for evolving a strategy to counter this move.

PBC Vice Chairman Qulbi Hassan while talking to Daily Times said that the PBC executive body would discuss this issue as lawyers are feeling that some elements are working to extend the tenure or service terms of Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. He stated that transition should take place in all institutions if they are to strengthen.

“The bar associations are also resolute in opposing such moves as they cannot conceive of bending the constitution and destroying democratic traditions to retain individuals in positions of authority. That would amount to derailing the very process of political advancement which the people so wholeheartedly supported,” he added.

Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk

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