February 3, 2020 PRESS RELEASE CONDEMNATION Mr. Abid Saqi, Vice-Chairman, Pakistan Bar Council, has issued the following statement of condemnation: "The decision of the Federal Government regarding filing of a Reference against Mr. Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth, Chief Justice, Peshawar High Court, for his having authored the verdict of the Special Court, convicting thereby General Parvez Musharraf, for subverting the Constitution, as reported in the Press, is a cause of grave concern and so is strongly condemned. The move of the Federal Government being based on ulterior motives aiming at to target and suppress the independent judiciary, will be opposed by the legal fraternity with full force. The brave and historic verdict of the Special Court, authored by Hon'ble Mr. Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth, the first ever decision by our Judiciary, against a Military Dictator for his having subverted the Constitution, has been welcomed, appreciated and commended by the Nation as a whole particularly by the legal fraternity, as it has not only strengthened the principle of supremacy of the Constitution, the Rule of Law & the independence of Judiciary but has also ensured continuity of the Democratic process of Government, as enshrined in the Constitution, The Pakistan Bar Council and the legal fraternity, which have always strived for the aforementioned objectives, will continue to do so and will not permit the Government to succeed in its nefarious motives to target the independent Judiciary. The Government is, therefore, urged upon the Federal Government to refrain from filing any Reference against Mr. Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth otherwise the legal fraternity will oppose it tooth and nail and even not hesitate to launch country-wide agitation against the Government.” SECRETARY

PRESS RELEASE Mr. Abid Saqi, Vice Chairman, Pakistan Bar Council has issued the following statement:- "The Pakistan Bar Council takes strong exception to the most irresponsible handeling of the matter of providing due security to the Hon'ble Cheif Justice of Pakistan during his visits to places outside Islamabad, by the Punjab Police and the Government of Punjab. Provision of foolproof security to the Hon'ble Cheif Justice of Pakistan during his visits to different places outside Islamabad, is a routine matter and its SOPs are in vogue since long period of time and in view of utmost sensitive importance of such visits, the security/ measures are always kept top secret. But the mishandeling of the matter as reflects from contents of letters dated 28th and 30th January, 2020, issued by the Central Police Office, Punjab, Lahore and their deliberate and malicious leakage, is highly condemnable. The Pakistan Bar Council, therefore while strongly condemning the Government of Punjab and the Punjab Police for their malicious act of undermining the dignity and status of the Hon'ble Cheif Justice of Pakistan demands the detailed probe and investigation by the high powered commission, to find out the actual motive behind this unfortunate episode and to fix responsibility upon the delinquent and responsible officials. Secretary, Pakistan Bar Council.

January 16 , 2020 P R E S S R E L E A S E The 228 th meeting of the Pakistan Bar Council was held today at 2-00 p.m. in Council’s Office, Supreme Court Building, Islamabad with Mr. Anwar Mansoor Khan, Attorney-General for Pakistan and Chairman, Pakistan Bar Council in the Chair. The attendance of the meeting was as under:- (1) Mr. Anwar Mansoor Khan, . . . . . . Chairman Attorney-General for Pakistan (2) Syed Amjad Shah . . . . . . Vice-Chairman (3) Mr. Kamran Murtaza Member (4) Mr. Muhammad Shoaib Shaheen . . . . . . Member (5) Mr. Abdul Fayaz . . . . . . Member (6) Mr. Sher Muhammad Khan . . . . . . Member (7) Mr. Azam Nazeer Tarar . . . . . . Member (8) Mr. Muhammad Ahsan Bhoon . . . . . . Member (9) Mr. Abid Saqi . . . . . . Member (10) Ch. Tahir Nasrullah Warraich . . . . . . Member (11) Mr. Hafeez-ur-Rehman Chaudhry . . . . . . Member (12) Mr. Muhammad Raheel Kamran Sheikh . . . . . . Member (13) Mian Muhammad Shafiq Bhandara . . . . . . Member (14) Syed Qalib-i-Hassan . . . . . . Member (15) Malik Ghulam Mustafa Kandwal . . . . . . Member (16) Mr. Muhammad Yousaf Laghari . . . . . . Member (17) Mr. Rasheed A. Razvi . . . . . . Member (18) Mr. Ghulam Shabbir Shar Balouch . . . . . . Member (19) Mr. Muhammad Aqil . . . . . . Member (20) Mr. Akhtar Hussain . . . . . Member (21) Hafiz Muhammad Idris Sheikh . . . . . . Member (22) Mr. Muhammad Yaseen Azad . . . . . . Member Election of Vice-Chairman, Pakistan Bar Council: The Pakistan Bar Council apart from transacting other business on its Agenda, also elected, un-opposed, Mr. Abid Saqi as its Vice-Chairman, for the year 2020. The Council also appreciated Syed Amjad Shah the outgoing Vice-Chairman for leading the Council with dignity and honour. The Council deliberated upon the announcement of recent verdict by a Bench of Lahore High Court declaring constitution of Special Court dealing with high treason case of General Pervaiz Musharraf as unconstitutional. The Council expressed its opinion that assumption of Jurisdiction by a High Court at such a stage was uncalled for, more particularly in the presence of the right of Appeal before the Supreme Court of Pakistan provided by Law and thus disapproved the same. The Council also decided to file an Appeal before the Supreme Court of Pakistan against this decision. The Council also discussed in detail the Judgment of Supreme Court of Pakistan in Army Chief extention case and opined that said Petition was seemingly taken up out of turn and then unlawfully directing the Parliament for legislation raised many an eye brows. The Council also expressed its grave concerns regarding forced disappearance and unconstitutional detention of Mr. Inam-ur-Rahim, Advocate by state agencies and called for his forthwith release with a demand to take stern legal action against the delinquents. The Council re-iterated its earlier stance regarding appointment of Judges in the Superior Courts by Judicial Commission of Pakistan and expressed its grave concerns regarding the process of appointment of Superior Courts Judges. The Council is of the opinion that Judicial Commission could not deliver to the expectations of the legal fraternity rather it appears that most of the appointments are being made in a non- transparent manner and without meaningful consultations with the stake holders. The Council also urges the Judicial Commission to forthwith amend the rules as proposed by Pakistan and Provincial Bar Councils. The Council also proposed and urged the Parliament to suitably amend Article 175-A of the Constitution so as to reconstitute the Judicial Commission of Pakistan by including equal number of Members from the Judiciary, Legislature and the Bar to ensure merit based appointments of the Superior Court Judges after meaningful consultations amongst the real stake holders. The Council also disapproved the amendments made by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government in Civil Procedure Code and Anti Narcotics Laws and supported the stance taken by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council and Peshawar High Court Bar Association urging the Government to withdraw the same. The Council took serious notice of the unfortunate incident taking place at PIC, Lahore and expressed its sorrow and grief. The Provincial Bar Councils were directed to ensure effective disciplinary actions to curb any such incident when ever and where ever it take place, so that the dignity and honor of the profession be maintained according to legal ethics and etiquettes. The Council also constituted a Special Committee to ensure that rules framed for conduct of elections of Bar Councils and Bar Associations are strictly implemented and acted upon. The Pakistan Bar Council forthwith imposed ban on the display of any kind of banners/posters/panaflexes/phamplets etc by contesting candidates or their supporters in any manners and so also to host dinners/lunches what so ever directing the Provincial Bar Councils to forthwith take disciplinary actions in this regard. The Pakistan Bar Council upholds the fundamental right of freedom of expression and strongly criticized the role of state agencies for controlling and curbing the media to suppress free reporting and expression of opinion. The Pakistan Bar Council also discussed and deliberated upon the case management system in the Supreme Court as well as in High Courts and expressed its disappointment that despite repeated requests by concerned Bar Councils and Bar Associations no heed is being paid by the Chief Justice of Pakistan and Chief Justices of respective High Courts. The present practice of occasional constitution of Benches at Registries of the Supreme Court should be stopped forthwith and instead the Benches at Registries of the Supreme Court should work there at least not less than two weeks in any case. The Council also constituted two Members Committee comprised of Mr. Abid Saqi, Vice-Chairman, Pakistan Bar Council and Syed Qalb-i-Hassan, President, Supreme Court Bar Association to take up this matter with Chief Justice of Pakistan and similarly such Committees will be constituted at the Provincial level giving effective deadline for redressal of lawyers otherwise the legal fraternity will be left with no option to launch a nation wide movement to protect the rights of litigant public as well as Members of the Bar. The Council assured its fullest co-operation to the newly elected Vice-Chairman of the Pakistan Bar Council to carry out mandate of the Bar. SECRETARY

Press Release Archives - Page 2 of 4

03-03-2020

By Bakht Bedar|2020-03-04T07:25:33+00:00March 3rd, 2020|Press Release|0 Comments

08-02-2020

By Bakht Bedar|2020-02-08T10:41:35+00:00February 8th, 2020|Press Release|0 Comments

February 3, 2020

February 3, 2020 PRESS RELEASE CONDEMNATION Mr. Abid Saqi, Vice-Chairman, Pakistan Bar Council, has issued the following statement of condemnation: "The decision of the Federal Government regarding filing of a Reference against Mr. Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth, Chief Justice, Peshawar High Court, for his having authored the verdict of the Special Court, [...]

By Bakht Bedar|2020-02-03T11:28:05+00:00February 3rd, 2020|Press Release|0 Comments

31-01-2020

PRESS RELEASE Mr. Abid Saqi, Vice Chairman, Pakistan Bar Council has issued the following statement:- "The Pakistan Bar Council takes strong exception to the most irresponsible handeling of the matter of providing due security to the Hon'ble Cheif Justice of Pakistan during his visits to places outside Islamabad, by the Punjab Police and the Government [...]

By Bakht Bedar|2020-02-01T04:12:46+00:00February 1st, 2020|Press Release|0 Comments

16-01-2020

January 16 , 2020 P R E S S R E L E A S E The 228th meeting of the Pakistan Bar Council was held today at 2-00 p.m. in Council’s Office, Supreme Court Building, Islamabad with Mr. Anwar Mansoor Khan, Attorney-General for Pakistan and Chairman, Pakistan Bar Council in the [...]

By Bakht Bedar|2020-01-20T05:29:39+00:00January 20th, 2020|Press Release|0 Comments