LAHORE: In a joint meeting, Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) adopted a consensus resolution that all the former CJs should be treated equally. Speaking at a press conference, PBC Vice-Chairman Azam Nazir Tarar said the meeting also called for amendment in criminal laws for dispensation of speedy justice. He said establishing military courts was not the right answer to menace of terrorism. He also urged the Supreme Court to decide the pending petitions against the 21st Amendment at the earliest. If deemed necessary, he said, the PBC would also become a party in the case. The joint meeting of lawyers’ bodies also called for withdrawal of additional perks and privileges to former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry. Earlier, PBC members elected Ahsan Bhoon as executive committee chairman for a one-year term. Bhoon said the ad hoc appointments of judges should not be made in the superior judiciary. Additional perks given to retired judges appeared to be a move on the part of the government to pay back. Quoting Article 19-A of the Constitution (right to information), he asked Chief Justice of Pakistan to provide the details of all references filed against the judges pending with the Supreme Judicial Council. He also urged the apex court to not pass negative remarks against the judges of high courts by mentioning their names. Bhoon also condemned frequent exchanges of harsh words between senior counsels and the judges of apex court. Fazal-i-Haq Abbasi said frequent strikes by the legal fraternity caused problems to litigants, as he discouraged the unnecessary strike calls given by the bars.
