PESHAWAR: The Insaf Lawyers Forum on Tuesday condemned the tenor and tone used against judges by the All Pakistan Bar Council’s Inter-Provincial Coordination Committee and announced plans to file a contempt of court petition in the Peshawar High Court (PHC) over the failure to hold bar association elections in various districts on time.
Speaking to reporters on the premises of the PHC, the forum’s provincial president, Advocate Ali Zaman, and Advocate Yasir Khattak said that following the 27th Constitutional Amendment, the judiciary had been rendered ineffective, alleging that judges had been stripped of authority and were merely drawing salaries.
They accused the bar council of using various tactics to delay bar association elections, despite clear directives from the PHC to hold polls on the scheduled date of May 6. They alleged that a particular group had deprived hundreds of lawyers of their right to vote, emphasizing that voting was a fundamental right of every member and cannot be denied. The leaders said they had raised their voice on every forum against such actions, accusing certain individuals of repeatedly postponing elections and preventing their colleagues from casting votes.
They also rejected allegations made against the provincial government during a bar council meeting, urging that any claims should be backed by evidence. They said that they would even step back from the elections if proof was presented, but maintained that the delays were driven by personal ego and aimed at suppressing the voices of younger lawyers.
Referring to the court’s ruling, they said the PHC had clearly directed that elections be held on time and that all members be allowed to vote. However, they accused a specific group of misinterpreting the court’s decision. They demanded that all members who have cleared their dues be allowed to participate in the elections.
The forum further alleged that certain individuals were acting at the behest of institutions and questioned under what law the Bar Council had extended the tenure of bar bodies across the province, calling the move unconstitutional and an attempt to influence upcoming elections. They claimed that divisions were being created between bar associations and the bar council.
They confirmed that a contempt of court petition had been filed in the PHC against the bar council. While acknowledging the bar council as a respected regulatory authority, they expressed serious reservations over the language used in its press statements, alleging that it amounted to an attempt to pressure judges.
They added that the entire province knows who the practicing lawyers are and stressed that while the bar council remains respectable, personal ego-driven actions were regrettable.
They condemned the wording used during the Bar Council’s press conference, claiming that only part of the court order had been read out. They clarified that their petition was filed to secure voting rights, not to challenge the elections themselves, and that the court had allowed lawyers to cast their votes in upcoming polls.
Calling the situation a manufactured controversy, they reiterated that the legal fraternity was like a family and affirmed their continued adherence to the bar council, while vowing to keep fighting for the rights of lawyers.
