Karachi [Pakistan], October 16 : As the ruling coalition of Pakistan prepares to implement judicial reforms through a constitutional amendment, members of the legal community have voiced strong opposition, threatening a nationwide movement if the controversial package is passed, Dawn reported.
As per Dawn, the All Pakistan Lawyers Convention held at the city courts, faced disruptions early on as two politically-affiliated groups of lawyers began protesting against each other, despite the organizers' attempts to calm the situation.
Karachi Bar Association (KBA) Secretary General Ikhtiar Ali Channa urged speakers to avoid mentioning political parties or leaders, while sporadic slogans erupted from lawyers supporting their respective factions, according to Dawn.
Tension escalated when Rabbiya Bajwa, a former Vice President of the Lahore High Court Bar Association, had to leave the podium after facing backlash for criticizing the Pakistan People's Party's (PPP) involvement in the amendment bill. Lawyers from the party surrounded the stage and chanted slogans against her, prompting a reaction from PTI supporters, as reported by Dawn.
Eventually, Bajwa was allowed to return to the stage to finish her speech. However, upon her return, she stated that she would not withdraw her remarks and then exited the stage.
Meanwhile, Aijaz Somroo, Secretary General of the People's Lawyers' Forum alleged that the lawyers' forum was being exploited for "political purposes."
According to the Dawn report, after the event, Karachi Bar Association President Aamir Nawaz Waraich introduced a resolution opposing the proposed constitutional amendment bill. The lawyers unanimously pledged to resist the establishment of the suggested Federal Constitutional Court, with the resolution passing by a majority show of hands.
During the gathering, speakers from various bar associations and councils across the nation cautioned that the proposed bill would undermine the principle of the separation of powers. They described the situation as a "monster" that would adversely affect people's lives, while also criticizing the establishment's alleged involvement in drafting the bill.
They argued that judges of the proposed Constitutional Court would operate like "contractors." Furthermore, they declared that if the government managed to pass the amendment, they would reject it and initiate a resistance movement akin to the 2007 judiciary restoration efforts, as reported by Dawn.
Concerns about the independence of the judiciary persist, with allegations of political influence and pressure affecting judicial decisions. Critics argue that the judiciary sometimes appears to be swayed by the executive branch.
Waraich warned that this did not justify dismantling the institution under the pretext of a "judicial package."
"We will not permit the creation of a Federal Constitutional Court; for us, the only constitutional court is the Supreme Court of Pakistan. If such a court is to be established, it will have to happen over our dead bodies as lawyers," Waraich said.
He also proposed that following the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting, lawyers should wear black armbands in court as a form of protest until the draft of the constitutional package is disclosed.