BY RAJA FAISAL
ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan (SCBAP) will file a petition before the Supreme Court of Pakistan against the orders of the full bench of the Lahore High Court after consulting the Multan High Court Bar Association.
The 19th Executive Committee of the SCBAP, on Friday, passed a resolution against the orders of the LHC in its 14th Executive Committee meeting.
According to the resolution passed by the SCBAP, the house expressed strong reservations over the letter of the attorney general of Pakistan published in newspapers of August 25, 2017.
The resolution maintained that the dignity of bar and rule of law is an equal responsibility of the bench. But the AGP’s letter did not mention the conduct and behaviour of the judges with the members of the bar and the act of the LHC chief justice in violating provision of the Constitution.
It stated that the bars have always been in the front line to defend the independence of judiciary; however, they will not tolerate any attack on the dignity of the bar.
The executive committee strongly condemned the tear gas shelling and use of water cannons on the protesting Lawyers at the LHC on August 21, 2017. The resolution stated that “it [such treatment] was never done in past, not even during the military rules.”
Putting containers and barbed wire doors gave the impression that lawyers are too aggressive and the judges are under pressure, the resolution further said.
Earlier, Punjab Police on Monday fired tear gas and used water cannon on protesting lawyers who had gathered at the Lahore High Court (LHC) where contempt of court proceedings were underway against the president of the Lahore High Court Bar Association’s (LHCBA) Multan chapter. A large number of lawyers resorted to violence after the court issued non-bailable arrest warrants of LHCBA Multan President Sher Zaman Qureshi. The court also issued directions for the suspension of licenses of Qureshi and Qaiser Kazmi.