Lawyers’ convention to challenge NAB Amendment Ordinance

LAHORE : All Pakistan lawyers’ convention held at the Lahore High Court Bar Association on Saturday passed a resolution wherein it strongly rejected the NAB Amendment Ordinance and announced to challenge it in the Supreme Court for being contrary to the Constitution.

A second resolution in the convention called for the appointment of judges to the Supreme Court on the basis of seniority and lamented the appointments of judges in the Supreme Court by ignoring the seniority list.

The convention also called on political parties to review the 19th Amendment for the appointment of judges. Addressing the convention, Hamid Khan, former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, said that the Supreme Court is the court of the whole country and every province should have representation in the apex court. He pointed out that no judge from the Islamabad High Court has been appointed to the Supreme Court.

President Lahore High Court Bar Association Maqsood Butter said the issue of ignoring seniority list while elevation of judges is a collective issue of all. Whenever seniority is ignored, we protest against the decision of the Judicial Commission. Criticizing the present procedure of judges’ appointment and elevation, he said that if the appointment of judges of the High Court is done on merit there would be no need to seek the opinion of anyone. He said the procedure and principles for the appointment of judges should be changed.

Former LHCBA finance secretary Rabbiya Bajwa saluted the struggle of women judges of the High Court. But it is unfortunate that judges are appointed illegally.

She said Judgeship was also awarded to those who did not meet the merits. The Bar Council and senior lawyers should take notice of such matters.