Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Monday rejected the Punjab Bar Council's (PBC) resolution against Supreme Court judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa, saying 'members of legal fraternity have become puppets of the puppet master.' The decision, which was taken at an emergency meeting of the PBC Executive Committee here, came hours after various bar associations in Sindh issued a joint declaration, criticising the PBC resolution against Justice Isa.
"The Sindh Bar Council, Sindh High Court Bar Association, Karachi Bar Association and Malir Bar Association strongly condemn the resolution [dated 20.4.2019] passed by the Executive Committee of the Punjab Bar Council," said the joint statement released on Monday.
"We must express our severe disappointment with the six members of the PBC who were elected to be the voice of the legal fraternity but have chosen, instead, to become puppets of the puppet master," it declared.
"Indeed, the resolution passed by the PBC Executive Committee actually strengthens the perception that there are unknown forces seeking to influence and pressurise the judiciary and it strengthens the resolve and commitment of all genuine representatives of the legal fraternity to counter and resist all such moves."
On Saturday, the PBC's executive committee adopted a resolution, demanding the removal of Justice Isa for his judgement in the Faizabad sit-in case.
The bar associations of Sindh criticised the resolution, saying, "It is unfortunate that the PBC Executive Committee has tried to sabotage the unity of the legal fraternity across Pakistan."
"Most unfortunate of all, however, is the PBC Executive Committee's accusation that Justice Qazi Faiz Isa has strengthened the narrative of RAW and India by criticising the role of intelligence agencies in the Faizabad dharna judgement and its demand that he be removed as judge of the Supreme Court," reads the statement by Sindh bar associations.
"Justice Qazi Faez Isa enjoys an unblemished reputation for competence, integrity and independence and his only flaw seems to be his readiness to speak the truth and unwillingness to take instructions in the performance of his official functions, whether it be the Quetta Carnage Commission Report or the Faizabad dharna judgement." On the issue of Justice Shaukat Siddiqui, the statement said that the Karachi Bar Association "rightly calls for a full inquiry and investigation to be conducted into the allegations of Shaukat Siddiqui regarding interference by intelligence agencies in the judicial matters."
The statement was signed by Muhammad Azam Khan, chairman of the executive committee of the Sindh Bar Council; Muhammad Aqil, president of Sindh High Court Bar Association; Naeem Qureshi, president of Karachi Bar Association; and Fida Muhammad Khan, general secretary of the Malir Bar Association.
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