The Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) has rejected the government’s decision to establish five new territorial benches of the Lahore High Court, calling it a move to dent lawyers’ unity.
In an emergency meeting, the LHCBA vowed that they would not allow dividing the LHC at all costs.
They requested the LHC chief justice to abstain from giving any recommendations to the government on the issue.
They said the LHCBA would consider filing a petition against the government on this issue.
The Punjab cabinet has approved the setting up of new LHC benches in Faisalabad, Sargodha, Sahiwal, Gujranwala and Dera Ghazi Khan.
The lawyers said that in 2007, a military dictator had challenged the Supreme Court of Pakistan and now the Punjab cabinet was following the line.
A resolution passed by the bar said if the Punjab government was sincere in its claim for speedy justice, it should immediately recruit judges to end their shortage in districts, because thousands of cases remained unheard due to a scarcity of judgers.
LHCBA President Abid Saqi said that on March 4, the government had formed a five-member committee consisting of former bar presidents to consult stakeholders on new territorial benches and give its recommendations to the LHCBA.
He said while the committee was still deliberating, the Punjab cabinet had dropped a bombshell by announcing five new LHC benches.
He requested the committee to prepare its recommendation on new High Court benches as soon as possible.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 13th, 2013.