NEWS ANALYSIS
Asma Jehangir on Wednesday became the first woman lawyer to lead Pakistan’s legal fraternity. It was a cut-throat contest but she, despite a campaign against her, won the election, albeit by a narrow margin.
A human rights activist of her own caliber with progressive and liberal thoughts, she becomes president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) at a time when a balance between the bench and the bar is required more than ever.
A staunch supporter and advocate of democracy, social justice and independence of the judiciary, Asma Jehangir will have to not only maintain a workable relationship between the bench and the bar, she will also have to keep the legal fraternity united keeping an unbiased position vis-a-vis the executive-judiciary row over a host of legal and constitutional matters.
Before her election to this coveted position, she was portrayed as a candidate of the government of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) for her progressive ideas identical to the ruling party and also not conforming to the position and stance of other political forces.
On her election, she made a statement to allay the apprehensions of her opponents saying that she would work to uphold the Constitution. Not only this, she will also have to take all those along who voted for her and those who did not.
Senior lawyer Senator SM Zafar sees no friction between the bench and bar by Asma Jahangir’s election as SCBA president. “Asma won the election with the support of lawyers who have always supported the bench, therefore she will have to honour her voters’ sentiments,” he said.
Similarly, Munir Malik also hoped that the bar-bench relationship will remain friendly and Asma will continue defending the independence of the executive and judiciary. “Asma always sought implementation of the decisions of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and she was an active member of the movement for the restoration of the deposed judges even after the formation of the PPP government,” Malik said.
Hoping that Asma Jehangir would raise the stature of her office, senior lawyer Akram Sheikh said her life personified the battle for justice and human rights. “I hope she will work hard to consolidate judicial independence which is the need of the hour,” he said.
Similarly, senior lawyer Lateef Afridi commented that Asma Jahangir’s victory spelt defeat for extremists, rightists and obscurantist forces in the country and lawyers had once again proved that they wanted rule of law, supremacy of the Constitution and a strong democracy in Pakistan.
PML-N leader Senator Pervez Rashid said that the SCBA election was the continuity of healthy, democratic tradition and other strata of society should follow such democratic norms. “Asma Jehangir has a brilliant record of championing the cause of democracy, supremacy of law and human rights in the country and we hope that she continues her struggle in and outside the courtroom,” he said.
Lawyers and politicians have welcomed her election as SCBA president. Now it is test for her not only to maintain a balance between the bench and the bar, but also a test for her to work independently of the executive and the judiciary, keeping her community away from the legal and constitutional matters these two state institutions were embroiled in.
