Islamabad
A large number of lawyers took to the streets on Monday in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad. He staged a protest against the meeting held in the Supreme Court to finalize the names of eight judges of the apex court. Pakistan Judicial Commission (JCP) is considering promoting eight judges of the High Court in the Supreme Court. Many judges and thousands of lawyers are demanding to postpone the meeting.
Islamabad’s legal organizations have recently been strongly opposing the transfer of five judges in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and calling the move an attempt to divide the judiciary. In Islamabad, officers and security forces blocked all the routes leading to the Supreme Court. Additional forces were deployed in the event that the protests became intense. In response to the protests called by the lawyers, the Islamabad Police also closed several major entry points in the Red Zone in the federal capital.
Metro bus services were also postponed on several routes between Islamabad and Rawalpindi due to protests, causing great inconvenience to the passengers. A large number of lawyers gathered outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad, raising slogans of independence of the judiciary and taking banners in support of protests. The protesting lawyers have described the 26th Constitution Amendment as completely ‘unacceptable’. The Lahore High Court Bar Association (LCBA) also submitted an application before the Supreme Court, opposing the 26th Constitution amendment and demanded the postponement of the JCP meeting.
Explain that the 26th amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan was passed by Parliament in October last year. This was implemented on the same day with the consent of the President. The amendment includes 27 sections, which affect the changes in judicial, parliamentary and executive structure. This amendment gives more power to the MP in the appointment of Pakistan apex judge. The transfer case of judges increased further when Justice Sarfaraz Dogar was transferred from Lahore High Court (LHC) to IHC and later his name was sent to JCP for appointment in the Supreme Court.
The case was raised by at least two judges of the Islamabad High Court (IHC), who questioned the recommendation of Justice Dogar, contacted Supreme Court Chief Justice Yahya Afridi and IHC Chief Justice Aamir Farooq. At least four current judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan proposed to postpone the JCP meeting on Monday until the petition was decided on the petition against the 26th Constitutional Amendment.
Despite the protest, the JCP decided to continue its meeting on Monday, after which the lawyers protested and opposed any decision taken by the Commission. The lawyers have vowed further protest against the ‘dangerous effort’ to weaken the country’s judiciary and hurt its dignity.
