Lawyers threaten protest as govt set to convene NA session on constitutional amendment

KARACHI: Lawyers from across the country have opposed the proposed constitutional amendment, threatening to launch a nationwide movement against the government move that seeks to establish a “Federal Constitutional Court” parallel to the Supreme Court, among other changes.

The “All-Pakistan Lawyers Convention, organized by the Karachi Bar Association, was held at the City Courts to protest against the proposed Federal Constitutional Court and other constitutional amendments.

The convention was attended by representatives from the Pakistan Bar Council, the Supreme Court Bar Association and Lahore and Balochistan High Court Bars, including prominent lawyers such as former Supreme Court Bar President Munir A Malik, Hamid Khan and Abid Zuberi. However, no representative of the Sindh High Court Bar Association attended the convension.

Peshawar High Court Bar President Fida Gul, lawyer leader Ali Ahmad Kurd, Balochistan High Court Bar President Afzal, Lahore High Court Bar President Asad Manzoor Butt, Islamabad High Court Bar President Azad State, Sindh Bar Council Vice Chairman Kashif Hanif, and Balochistan Bar Council Vice Chairman Rahab Bilidi also attended the convention

The participants declared the proposed constitutional amendments unconstitutional and illegal, threatening to initiate a nationwide lawyers’ movement if the government proceeded with the amendments.

Peshawar High Court Bar President Fida Gul said that a similar convention was held in Peshawar, where lawyers expressed their commitment to blocking any form of amendments.

“We will start a movement against the government’s unconstitutional and illegal tactics,” he said. “What is the purpose of creating a Constitutional Court? Are you trying to create two Supreme Courts? I want to state clearly that lawyers will shed blood before allowing any such amendment or Constitutional Court to be established.”

Lahore High Court Bar President Asad Manzoor Butt said, “The government is attempting to establish constitutional courts at both the federal and provincial levels, and plans to increase the age limit for the chief justice of the Supreme Court from 60 to 65 years. Lawyers across the country are prepared to launch a nationwide movement against this move”

Karachi Bar Association General Secretary Akhtar Chana criticized the current chief justice of the Sindh High Court for prioritizing personal merit over the welfare of lawyers. He said that they invited the Sindh High Court Bar officials to the convention but they did not attend it.

Tensions arose during the convention when some lawyers mention of Form 47, with lawyers raising slogans against each other.

Members of the People’s Lawyers Forum protested the convention’s proceedings, leading General Secretary Akhtar Chana to clarify that the event was not politically motivated. “We organized this convention solely for lawyers, not for any political agenda,” he said.

Pakistan Bar Council member Muhammad Shafqat warned that while the proposed amendment might seem favourable today, it could become problematic for future chief justices. “This is your personal agenda, and we will not allow the constitution to be manipulated for personal gain. This amendment goes against the constitution and the law,” he declared.

Former Federal Law Minister Shahida Jameel advised lawyers to remain vigilant. She pointed out that multiple drafts of the constitutional amendment exist, raising concerns about the potential for conflict between the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court.

“It is being said that the president will appoint the first head of the Constitutional Court — is that not interference? Nowhere in the world are secret amendments acceptable, and lawyers will not tolerate any such secret amendments,” she said.

GOVT LIKELY TO CONVENE NA SESSION ON OCT 17

The government is expected to convene a session of the National Assembly on October 17 to present the 26th Constitutional Amendment.

According to sources, a formal consensus between the government and opposition regarding the amendment has been reached, with meetings between the government team and various political parties currently ongoing.

Final negotiations on the proposed constitutional amendment are in progress. An important meeting between JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is scheduled for Tuesday.

Following his meeting with Bilawal, Maulana Fazl is also expected to meet PML-N President and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Lahore.

Earlier, Maulana Fazl said that he had raised objections to the government’s earlier draft, arguing that it would have undermined the rights of both the judiciary and the public if it sailed through the parliament.

He said that the rejected elements of the previous draft have been withdrawn, and he remained hopeful that their demands will be accommodated.