Daily Times

The Legal fraternities of the two major provinces, Punjab and Sindh, are having a major divergence in their analysis of the Faizabad dharna judgment among other matters.

The members of four prominent Bar Associations in Sindh passed a joint resolution on Sunday expressing concern and displeasure over the resolution passed by their counterparts in the Punjab Bar Council on Saturday.

The objection of Sindh Bar Council, Sindh High Court Bar Association, Karachi Bar Association and Malir Bar Association was over the resolution passed by Punjab Bar Council in which the PBC did not acquiesce to a petition filed by the Karachi Bar Association challenging the decision of removal of Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui, a former judge of the Islamabad High Court.

The KBC had earlier called for a “full inquiry and investigation to be conducted into the allegations of Mr. Shaukat Siddiqui regarding interference by intelligence agencies in judicial matters.”

The PBC had also stated that by criticizing the role of intelligence agencies the Supreme Court Justice Qazi Isa had given meat to the narrative pushed the Indian intelligence agency Raw.

In its response, KBC stated that Justice Qazi Isa enjoyed an “unblemished reputation” for his “competence and independence.”

The legal fraternity of Sindh termed the decision of PBC as “high -handedness towards bar associations of smaller provinces” and accused PBC of trying to dampen the solidarity among the lawyer community.

KBC questioned PBC’s motives behind criticizing KBC even though it does not fall within the scope of PBC’s authority. They termed such actions “mala fide and mischievous ” and declared that PBC had chosen to become” puppets of the puppet masters ” because through its actions the PBC had given credence to the perception that there existed certain behind the scene manipulators seeking to divide and pressurize the judiciary over its decisions.