Lawyers announce strike on June 14 over references against judges

ISLAMABAD: After the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), provincial bar councils have announced a strike on June 14 over references filed by the government against Supreme Court judge Qazi Faez Isa and two high court judges.

A meeting of Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and all provincial bar councils was held at the Supreme Court to ponder over the references against judges. The participants exchanged views on a future strategy in this regard and made some key decisions.

All bar councils have announced a strike on June 14 on account hearing of a reference against Justice Isa.

Speaking to media after the meeting, PBC vice chairman Amjad Shah demanded withdrawal of reference against Justice Isa.

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He said the meeting held today condemned Law Minister Farogh Naseem and Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan, and demanded them to step down from their respective posts.

Shah said the minister and attorney general had both been part of the reference against Justice Isa. He maintained that the reference negates freedom of judiciary.

The PBC vice chairman said their protest and campaign were not concerned with any institution or political party, adding, "We will record our protest remaining within the ambit of law".

He noted that no verdict was announced in all pending references, expressing astonishment as to why the government was bent upon such a weak reference.

"We have struggled for the freedom of judiciary and rule of law in the past, and we will do so now as well," Shah asserted.

Hafiz Idrees said the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) served no notices to honourable judges, terming the reference a violation of Article 10A as well.

It is pertinent to mention here that SCBA had already announced holding a protest sit-in over reference filed against Justice Isa.

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References

Earlier, the government filed references with the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against two high court judges and one Supreme Court judge for owning properties abroad.

According to reports, the three judges own properties abroad but did not mention them in their wealth statements.

The SJC is the only constitutional authority mandated by Article 209 of the Constitution of Pakistan to conduct inquiries into allegations of incapacity or misconduct against a judge of the Supreme Court or of a high court.

It comprises chief justice of Pakistan as chairman, two senior most judges of the Supreme Court and two senior most judges of the high courts as members.