LAHORE, Nov 14: The Supreme Court Bar Association has decided to convene an international conference of jurists in an attempt to bring lasting peace to Afghanistan through law, SCBA president Hamid Khan said here on Wednesday.

Addressing a press conference together with SCBA vice-president MA Zafar and secretary Anwar Hamid Sahibazada, he said international law and conventions had been grossly violated in dealing with the terrorist attacks in the United States and mounting a military operation against Afghanistan. The newly-elected SCBA executive will meet in Islamabad on Saturday to discuss the issue and make arrangements for the proposed jurists’ conference.

The Saturday meeting of the SCBA will also consider moves to reinvigorate the legal fraternity’s struggle for an early election under a caretaker set-up and under the 1973 constitution. About the participation of top PML and PPP leaders in the electoral process, Mr Khan said the rule of law should prevail. The deadline set by the Supreme Court is the outer limit and elections can be held any time. He criticized Chief Justice Irshad Hasan Khan for officiating as president during the absence of Gen Pervez Musharraf in violation of the constitution, the SC verdict in the Judges Case and his own judgment in the Zafar Ali Shah case.

The SCBA committee will also consider issues pertaining to the independence of the judiciary and smooth working of the judicial system. While disposal of cases as part of dispensation of justice is welcome, lawyers are opposed to disposal for its own sake.

Of considerable importance on the committee agenda is the matter of judges’ re-employment after their retirement. It will also discuss proposals to streamline the working of the Supreme Court, particularly hearing of urgent matters and preparation and circulation of fornightly, instead of weekly cause lists. The purpose is to eliminate uncertainty in the fixation and hearing of cases in the interest of the legal system, the litigant public and the lawyers.

Another proposal on the agenda will seek the establishment of benches at the provincial registries for disposal of the back log of cases, particularly in Lahore and Karachi. The committee will also discuss the possibility of fixation of appeals at the provincial registries in matters like rent and family disputes in order to save the poor litigants from heavy expenses.