Complete lockout of courts recommended

[LRE]

Complete lockout of courts recommended



Sunday, July 06, 2008
By Our Correspondent

LAHORE

IN a bid to boost lawyers movement, the Joint Working Committee (JWC) of all Pakistan high court bar associations has strongly recommended to the Pakistan Bar Council to jam the judicial system by complete lockout of all courts until restoration of November 2 judiciary.

At a press briefing held on Saturday, the committee has also announced that elected lawyer leaders will not appear before PCO judges until restoration of all ‘deposed’ judges. If anyone wanted to appear before PCO judges, he will have to resign from his office, the committee said.

However, the committee members could not give a satisfactory answer when asked as to what disciplinary action will be taken against those who violate this directive.

Prior to the press briefing, the JWC held a meeting to get recommendations to boost the movement aimed at restoration of ‘deposed’ judges.

LHCBA-principal seat president Anwar Kamal, secretary Rana Asadullah Khan, VP Mian Aslam, finance secretary Feroza Rubab, Rawalpindi bench president Sardar Asmatullah, secretary Malik Muhammad Siddiq Awan, Multan bench president Mehmood Ashraf Khan, Bahawalpur bench president Malik Aslam, secretary Muhammad Naveed Rana, Sindh High Court Bar Association secretary Munir-ur-Rehman and others were present at the meeting.

Sardar Asmatullah said that an All Pakistan High Court Bar Associations Restoration of Judiciary Committee has been formed to boost lawyers’ movement. He said the purpose of holding the meeting was to improve coordination between all high court bar associations of Pakistan and to suggest a future course of action for lawyers’ movement after the successful long march.

He said the meeting recommended that prior to any train march or long march, the judicial system be jammed by complete lockout of all courts, including lower courts, until the restoration of judiciary to November 2, 2007 position. He said a final decision, however, will be made in the All Pakistan Lawyers Representatives Convention scheduled to held on July 19 in Lahore. He said all members of bar councils and all office bearers from the Supreme Court Bar Association to the district courts would be in Islamabad to ensure complete lock out of Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Asmatullah said a massive rally will be held on July 10 and lawyers will march from Rawalpindi division to Constitutional Avenue in Islamabad.

The meeting resolved that bar secretaries would be invited immediately and former SCBA president Munir A Malik would be invited to the convention and that he should be made a member of the National Coordination Council.

Asmatullah said the meeting rejected the constitutional package given by the present government and expressed concern at the failure of the Parliament to make its presence felt in its first hundred days.

The meeting also noted with concern that persons not representing the people of Pakistan were running the affairs of the government, which was indicative of the weakness of the Parliament.

The meeting commended the role of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and asked its leadership to take more effective steps for the restoration of judiciary.

The meeting strongly condemned the military operation in FATA and NWFP and urged the government to resolve issues through parleys. It also noted that the issues of political nature should be resolved by the Parliament and not by the Army.

The meeting applauded the president and secretary of the Lahore High Court Bar Association, Lahore for not attending the 232nd anniversary of the Independence of the United States of America.

The meeting resolved that no office bearer or lawyer leaders should announce any decision on his own without prior approval of the National Coordination Council.

The meeting resolved that the next meeting be held in Karachi after July 19, 2008 and the future course of action and formal structure of the committee be decided in that meeting.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=122546