ISLAMABAD: Representatives of lawyers of the federal capital on Wednesday announced to continue their strike which is entering its third week.

The district bar association convened a general body meeting in the bar room in F-8 markaz.

According to District Bar Association Islamabad President Riasal Ali Azad said they have decided to continue the strike till their demand regarding the rotation of judges of the subordinate judiciary is met.

The outgoing chief justice, Mian Saqib Nisar had in February assured lawyers of rotation of judges of the subordinate judiciary in Islamabad to other provinces and that necessary legislation will be done to give this legal cover soon as well.

Attorney General Anwar Mansoor Khan had submitted a proposal before the Supreme Court that allowed the posting of judicial officers in different ministries and divisions within the federal capital.

The district bar has already rejected the proposal and threatened to ‘lockdown’ the federal capital if the proposal is not revised and judicial officers are not transferred to judicial services in the four provinces.

A senior lawyer pointed out that the proposal was not prepared by the attorney general alone as there advocates general of other provinces as well of Islamabad were members of the committee which finalised the proposal.

Former president of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) and incumbent Advocate General Islamabad Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri was also a member of the said committee.

Mr Azad, who was an associate of Advocate Jehangiri, defended his senior and said that the attorney general had not convened a meeting with representatives of the bar association before finalising the proposed amendment.

While the matter is pending adjudication before Justice Nisar, Mr Azad held a meeting with the outgoing chief justice and then also met with the federal law minister and Justice Dr Farogh Nasim.

He termed his meeting with the chief justice a “courtesy call”.

During their strike, lawyers detained about 20 judges of the lower courts in their courtrooms after which about 60 judicial officers went on a ‘pen-down’ strike till lawyers end boycotting court proceedings.

According to recent statistics from the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan, there are over 38,000 pending cases with the district judiciary of Islamabad. On average, more than 1,000 cases are being instituted in sessions courts every month.

Senior lawyers of the federal capital expressed disappointment over the state of affairs and how their local leadership is handling the matter.

Some said the rigid stance was politically motivated as the district bar association is going to elect office bearers on Jan 12. IHCBA’s elections are also expected in February.

Senior hierarchy of lawyers is also distancing itself from the ongoing ‘unrest’.

During the strike, lawyers also constructed illegal chambers in all corners of the district court premises. About 70pc if the new, illegally constructed chambers have been raised by the associates of a couple of senior lawyers including one currently holding a constitutional post, sources in the district bar told Dawn.

The police have said they will not be able to provide ample security to the sessions court due to the construction of so many illegal chambers. The court premises came under a terrorist attack in March 2014 when four to eight terrorists opened fire and threw grenades at people present there.

During the attack, 12 people including additional district and session judge Rafaqat Awan were killed and 28 were injured.

Published in Dawn, January 3rd, 2019