The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Thursday expressed concern over Federal Law Minister Dr Farogh Naseem’s alleged moves to link provision of grant-in-aid to the PBC for resolutions against sitting judges of the top court, especially against Justice Qazi Faez Isa.
PBC Vice-Chairman Khush Dil Khan said, “He strongly condemned the conduct of Farogh Naseem, federal law minister, regarding alleged move to link the provision of Grant-in-Aid to the Bar Association asking and pressurizing them to pass the resolution against the Hon’ble Judges of Supreme Court, especially Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Judge, Supreme Court of Pakistan”.
He also expressed his serious concern on the role of Law Minister, being the key person and Incharge of the Law Ministry, in view of his move against independent Judges. He said that lawyers throughout Pakistan are united and no one would succeed to create division among the legal fraternity.
Vice chairman of the PBC expressed that the lawyers will protect independent Judges and will go to any extent for independence of judiciary and Rule of law. He criticized Dr Farogh Naseem alleging that the minister is using Grant-in-Aid as a tool to get support of the lawyers community against independent Judges.
Khush Dil Khan directed to Provincial/Islamabad Bar Councils to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the office bearers of those Bar Associations who passed the resolution against Hon’ble Judges of Superior Court on the desire of Dr Farogh Naseem.
“The Federal and Provincial Governments are bound under Section 57 of the Legal Practitioners & Bar Councils Act, 1973 to provide Grant-in-Aid to the Bar Councils/Associations. It is not the personal money of the Law Minister”, the vice chairman concluded.
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