LAHORE: A Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf-backed lawyers’ convention held here on Thursday rejected the ‘constitutional package’ proposed by the PML-N-led coalition government, demanding that a notification for the appointment of Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah as the next chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) be issued without any delay.

The convention hosted by the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA), passed a declaration that the next CJP should also be appointed on the basis of seniority principle.

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It says the current National Assembly did not have any justification to introduce amendments to the Constitution.

It declared that the proposed ‘constitutional package’ was against the basic structure of the Constitution and “destructive” to the country.

Senator Hamid Khan terms it an attempt to undermine judiciary

PTI Senator Hamid Khan, former presidents of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), including Ali Ahmad Kurd, Senator Ali Zafar and Abid Zuberi, Pakistan Bar Council member Ishtiaq A Khan, former vice president of LHCBA Rabbiya Bajwa were among the prominent speakers at the convention.

PTI Senator Hamid Khan, who also heads professional group of lawyers, stated that it was lawyers’ duty to stand by the Constitution. He criticised what he called an attempt to ‘undermine’ the judiciary through the ‘constitutional package’.

He says the rulers are mere puppets and that neither the prime minister nor the law minister is aware of the contents of the proposed package.

Hamid Khan says the lawyers stood by an independent judiciary, the federation, and provincial autonomy, alleging that the government wants to destroy Supreme Court.

“We are not ready to accept any constitutional court,” says the PTI senator, adding that such court can only be established over the lawyers’ dead bodies.

Mr Kurd says the parliament members lack courage as none of them dared to question the package’s draft, despite remaining in the session until midnight.

He maintains that the lawyers never bowed to power or coercion, adding that every Pakistani is aware of the “drama” going on in the country.

Kurd says the lawyers had made great sacrifices for Supreme Court.

“This government should be ashamed,” Kurd says, adding that the rulers do not want Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah to become the next chief justice.PTI Senator Ali Zafar says he had never seen amendments introduced at midnight, without even presenting the draft properly, and that such proposed amendments caused significant harm to the country.

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“We weren’t even given the documents, yet were told that amendments must be made,” he wonders.

The senator claimed that the proposed amendments would allow the trial of civilians in military courts.

He adds that the amendments are being made to reintroduce horse-trading in the parliament and enhance the retirement age of judges.

“If there is an attack on democracy, we will resist it,” he says.

Mr Zuberi rejected the idea of establishing two courts, insisting there should only be one Supreme Court with a single chief justice.

He says the law minister quoted a military officer as saying that the courts are not punishing the suspects.

“If that’s the case, Mr law minister, then just turn all courts into military courts,” he adds.

The participants in the convention also held a rally from the high court bar to the GPO Chowk.

Published in Dawn, September 20th, 2024