ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) on Monday announced to oppose with full force any move that may lead to pressurise the judges and judiciary as an institution, amounting to hindrance in the process of dispensation of justice. The PBC took strong exception to what it said was a ‘motivated move’ of the ruling party with regard to a reference against the judge of the Supreme Court initially filed and then taken back by the secretary of the National Assembly speaker aiming to pressurise the judiciary. PBC Vice Chairman Muhammad Ahsan Bhoon and Executive Committee Chairman Ch Hafeezur Rehman warned all those behind ‘the ill advised move’ to refrain from resorting to targeting the judiciary in an attempt to frustrate the possible outcome of criminal cases being initiated by the accountability courts against the Sharif family. “It is highly condemnable that ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his children and close family members – instead of facing trial in the accountability courts in respect of criminal cases of money laundering against them – have started … [using] illegal tactics to pressurise the judiciary, NAB and accountability courts to sabotage the process of accountability initiated against them as a result of historic judgement of the SC in Panama Papers case.” Published in Daily Times, August 22nd 2017.