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KARACHI: Lawyers across the country have united against the proposed constitutional amendments, threatening a nationwide movement during the Karachi Bar Convention, here on Tuesday.
According to media reports, an All-Pakistan Lawyers Convention was held in the City Court under the auspices of the Karachi Bar Association, protesting against the Federal Constitutional Court and the proposed constitutional amendments.
Former President of Supreme Court Bar Munir A. Malik, Hamid Khan, Abid Zuberi, and other legal leaders including Pakistan Bar Council, Supreme Court Bar, Lahore and Balochistan High Court Bar officials participated in the convention.
It is noteworthy that no official of the Sindh High Court Bar Association participated. Among the participants were Peshawar High Court Bar President Fida Gul, lawyer leader Ali Ahmad Kurd, Balochistan High Court Bar President Afzal, Lahore High Court Bar President Asad Munzir Butt, Islamabad High Court Bar President Azad State, Sindh Bar Council Vice President. Chairman Kashif Hanif, President Balochistan High Court Bar and others were also present. Vice-Chairman of the Bar Council Rahib Bileedi.
Lawyers at the convention declared the proposed constitutional amendments unconstitutional and illegal and threatened to launch a nationwide lawyers’ movement against the amendments.
Peshawar High Court Bar President Fida Gul said that they held a convention in Peshawar, assured that they would not allow any amendment. He questioned the purpose of creating a constitutional court and asked whether there is an intention to establish two Supreme Courts. He asserted that lawyers would not allow such amendments and would be willing to make sacrifices for the cause.
Lahore High Court Bar President Asad Manzoor Butt said that the government is establishing constitutional courts at both the federal and provincial levels and increasing the age limit of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court from 60 to 65 years is also inappropriate. He said that all the lawyers are ready for the nationwide movement.
Karachi Bar General Secretary Akhtar Chana criticized the present Chief Justice of Sindh for prioritizing merit over the welfare of lawyers and expressed disappointment at Sindh High Court Bar officials for not attending the convention.
During the convention there was an uproar at the mention of Form 47, with lawyers shouting slogans against each other. Officials of the People’s Lawyers Forum protested against the organization of the convention.
In response to this, the General Secretary of the Karachi Bar said that the convention was not organized for any political agenda but to bring the lawyers together.
Lawyer leader and Pakistan Bar Council member Muhammad Shafqat said that today’s constitutional amendment looks favorable but tomorrow it may become a burden. He asserted that the Chief Justice of Pakistan was pursuing a personal agenda and warned against allowing this personal matter to play with the Constitution, as the amendment was against the Constitution and laws.
Former federal law minister Shahida Jameel advised lawyers to tread carefully, highlighting that everyone has their own draft of the constitutional amendment. He asked what will happen in case of conflict between the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court.
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