Three-year extension to army chief: lawyers to protest against government decision

A Joint Action Committee (JAC) of lawyers has decided to observe 'black day' and a strike on Nov 28 against the federal government's decision to grant three-year extension to incumbent Chief of Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa.

The JAC, which was constituted by the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) after filing of references against Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice KK Agha, held its meeting under the chairmanship of PBC Vice Chairman Syed Amjad Shah here at the Supreme Court building.

The lawyers will also wear black armbands and hold protest meetings in their respective bar rooms to register disapproval of the "uncalled" for and "unjustified" decision of the federal government.

The committee expressed its grave concern over the prevalent system and procedure of judges' appointment in superior courts. It demanded the government amend Article 175A of the Constitution so as to ensure a transparent mechanism for appointment of judges by taking all the stakeholders on board.

The JAC strongly condemned the federal government's move to introduce a bill in the National Assembly to amend Article 179 of the Constitution, aiming at enhancing the retirement age of judges of the Supreme Court. It demanded the government desist from bringing about such an unjustified and uncalled for amendment in the Constitution which would also be "violative" of apex court's judgments.

The committee again urged the Supreme Judicial Council to immediately make public the details of references/complaints so far filed with it against the judges of superior courts under Article 209 of Constitution, and the references/complaints which have been decided/disposed of by the Council with details of decisions taken thereon, as well as those which are still pending with the Council.

The JAC requested the Chief Justice of Pakistan for making necessary amendments in the Supreme Court Rules, 1980, so as to prescribe parameters to exercise powers by the Supreme Court vested to it under Article 184(3) of the Constitution, and to provide the right of appeal to the affected party before a larger bench of the apex court.

Endorsing the press statement of Chaudhry Shah Nawaz Ismail Gujjar, Vice-Chairman Punjab Bar Council, the committee expressed its reservations over selection of only eight additional district & sessions judges by the Interview Committee of the Lahore High Court (LHC), "out of 40 candidates who stood successful in the examination", for the said posts.

It requested the chief justice LHC for reviewing the decision of the Interview Committee regarding appointment of only 8 persons as additional district & sessions judges and instead seeing the possibility of appointing all the 40 candidates who have qualified the examination held under the auspices of the Lahore High Court.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019