Expressing concern over increasing tension between the government and the Supreme Court, Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Asma Jahangir Friday termed the crisis harmful to the very interests of the country and the people.
“We need an independent judiciary and democracy,” she remarked while addressing a function arranged by Malgari Wakeelan, the lawyers’ wing of the ANP, in Peshawar on Friday. Senior lawyer and politician Latif Afridi, Yaseen Azad, Peshawar High Court Bar President Khawaja Mohammad Khan Gara, General Secretary Amin-ur-Rahman and others were also present on the occasion.
Asma expressed concern over, what she described as, a negative response of the government towards the Supreme Court verdicts and said the tussle could lead the country towards an anarchy-like situation.
However, she said the government reserved the right of filing review petitions if it had reservations against any decision by the Supreme Court. Asma reminded the audience about her reservations over the Supreme Court’s decision of curtailing the powers of parliamentary committee and said she was planning to file a review petition on the issue.
She viewed that through such a verdict, the Supreme Court had declared its refusal to accept the parliament’s supremacy.
She went on to say merit had been neglected in recent appointments of judges. “Only the blue-eyed boys of certain individuals are being inducted in the judiciary, which are contrary to merit and democratic norms.”
Reaffirming her faith in democracy, Asma said they would not tolerate disrupting of the existing democratic process in the country. “We have rendered sacrifices for democracy and would oppose any disruption at every level,” she said.
“I will be the first one in jail for opposing any dictatorial setup.”
She said the bar must fulfill its responsibility for independence of judiciary and democracy. “We are neither a B-team of judiciary nor of army,” she declared.
Asma demanded that the letter written by Gen (r) Aslam Beg to Chief of Army Staff Gen Ashfaq Parvez Kayani must be produced before media. She said it was the high time for strengthening the institutions.
The SCBA president said she had opposed the proposed law for the federally and provincially administrative tribal areas (FATA and PATA), adding that they would not allow the armed forces to play with lives of the people.
She also welcomed the reforms in infamous laws of Frontier Crimes Regulations (FCR).
