Bar Councils Seek Review Of Rules For Judiciary.

ISLAMABAD -- The Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan (SCBAP) and Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Wednesday passed a joint resolution and demanded of the federal government to immediately frame legislation regulating the procedure of exercise of jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and to end the sole discretion of the Chief Justice in relation to the constitution of benches, fixation of cases and initiation of suo motu proceedings.

In this regard, a joint meeting of the representatives of SCBAP, High Court Bar Associations of all the provinces, Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and the Provincial Bar Councils and Members/Nominees of Bar Councils to the Judicial Commission of Pakistan was held in the premises of Supreme Court of Pakistan building Islamabad.

According to the statement issued by the SCBAP, the meeting was held under the chairmanship of Asan Bhoon, President SCBAP and Pir Muhammad Masood Chishli, Chairman Executive PBC.

The statement said that this representative meeting was called by the President SCBAP and the Chairman Executive PBC to consider the situation arising out of the controversies of the independence of judiciary with regard to functioning of Courts as well as the appointment of judges in the superior courts.

It also said that participants of the meeting passed a resolution saying that whereas the House unanimously resolved that the legal fraternity does not have any personal agenda neither they are against anyone nor in favour of anyone rather want strict adherence to the rule of law and principle of seniority, as such, nominations for the appointment of junior judges to the Supreme Court in violation of the seniority principle was received with displeasure; hence was disapproved by the House.

It added that moreover, the House reiterated its long-standing demand for nearly a decade that the Judicial Commission of Pakistan immediately amend its rules to allow nominations for judicial appointments to be initiated by any member of the Judicial Commission rather than the Chief Justice...