Islamabad-(Mudassar ): The Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) has announced its intent to launch a campaign against the 26th Constitutional Amendment, as stated by IHCBA President Riasat Ali Azad on Tuesday.
Speaking during the show *Spotlight with Munizae Jahangir* on Aaj News, Azad expressed the bar’s rejection of the amendment, vowing to oppose it. He, who was also part of the lawyers’ movement of 2006-07, criticized the manner in which the amendment bill was introduced in the National Assembly. According to Azad, only four leaders made speeches during the bill’s presentation, and there was no substantial debate or questioning from other members.
“It’s disgraceful how it was passed. Did Parliament adhere to the House rules?” he asked, questioning whether the bill was shared with all lawmakers for their input before being passed.
The IHCBA labeled the amendment as an attempt by the ruling coalition to “exact revenge on the judiciary” for previous indictments against them. Azad further questioned how the Special Parliamentary Committee could assess the competence of judges, saying that the judiciary had effectively been undermined.
Former Supreme Court Bar Association president Yaseen Azad, joining the show via video link, had a different take. He welcomed the amendment, pointing out that in the past, judges were appointed without merit.
Another guest on the show, senior lawyer Hina Jeelani, expressed concerns regarding the lack of transparency in the amendment’s passage. She raised questions about why the bill was rushed through and called for an investigation by the Senate chairperson and National Assembly speaker into reports of possible coercion.
While Jeelani did not oppose the involvement of lawmakers in the judges’ appointment process, she criticized the use of in-camera meetings, stating that the public should be aware of the criteria used by the Judicial Commission of Pakistan and the Special Parliamentary Committee in selecting judges. She further emphasized the need for open debates on the selection process, as well as clear, publicly available criteria for evaluating judges. Jeelani also noted the confusion surrounding the formation of the constitutional bench and the standards for its composition.
Follow us on our social media platforms here: Twitter WHATSAPP CHANNEL FACEBOOK PAGE
Comments are closed, but trackbacks and pingbacks are open.