- Differences among various factions of legal community grow stark
- The deadline, given by SCBA, LHCBA to PM, to resign in wake of Panamagate verdict expired on May 27
The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) on May 20, 2017, gave an ultimatum of seven days to the prime minister to resign from his post or be ready to face a lawyers’ movement at par with the one for restoration of judiciary. The deadline came to an end yesterday.
Pakistan Today asked various lawyer leaders and advocates about the possibility of a movement and its various contours.
“During the Ramzan, every Tuesday there will be protest camps outside courts, the lawyers will wear black ribbons on their arms while appearing in courts and black flags will be placed in the bars, lawyer leaders will address on these occasions,” said Lahore High Court Bar Association President Chaudhary Zulfiqar Ali when contacted by Pakistan Today.
When asked about after-Eid agitation, Ali said that a national action committee will be formed and in its first meeting the future plan will be chalked out. “Resignation of the PM is our minimum demand and we won’t back out from it,” he concluded.
Senior jurist and constitutional expert SM Zafar weighed in on the matter saying that if a movement against the PM is initiated, it won’t be at par with the lawyers’ movement for restoration of judiciary. “That movement was judicial, this one will be political. The legal fraternity is divided and there are differences and rifts among various factions as both sides, those demanding resignation and those supporting the PM, both have sizable numbers. The deadlines are given as a warning to do something before a particular date; however, it doesn’t mean that failure will result in an immediate action.” Now is the time for lawyers to consolidate their decision, he added.
“Since the case is still running in the Supreme Court, many think that no movement should be initiated till the matter is sub judice,” he concluded.
IHCBA President Advocate Arif Chaudhary when contacted said that he is travelling to Lahore and will meet LHCBA leaders there today. “We’ll discuss and plan out the future course in a meeting. We’ll sit together, talk to each other and will let you know what has been decided,” he said. When asked will the arrival of Ramzan effect the movement in any way, Chaudhary said that all such details and scenarios will be duly considered before arriving at a decision.
Former SCBA President Barrister Ali Zafar brushed aside the impression of division among various factions of lawyers. “SCBA, LHCBA each has their own role and Pakistan Bar Council has their own role.” The barrister said that the deadline has expired now the movement has been planned. The movement will be slowly built and certainly it will gain momentum, he added.
When asked whether the movement against the PM will rival the movement for restoration of judiciary, Ali said that the outlook of that movement was categorically different from the one against the PM. “That movement wasn’t alone for the restoration of judiciary, it was against a dictator as well.It was pro-democracy movement and civil society also chimed in. However, this movement will be of political nature,” he said.
Rawalpindi District Bar Association President and Punjab Bar Council Member Sajjad Akbar Abbasi has said that his bar has rejected all resolutions due to ruckus during a meeting.“The SCBA, LHCBA issued declaration without giving any opportunity to representatives to speak and without taking signatures of all the representatives from different bars present there, our Bar will stick to its stance as we haven’t received any new resolutions to decide upon,” he said.
It is pertinent to mention here that during a lawyer representative convention held by the Pakistan Bar Council, on May 5, has by majority votes decided against any movement demanding the PM’s resignation. It is yet to be seen how the divided house of legal fraternity will stand for what many observers call ambitious demand for the PM’s resignation.
