ISLAMABAD, June 8: The bar and the bench are on collision course as the Supreme Court reiterated on Sunday that it would not allow the protesting lawyers to hold convention in the premises of the court, but the lawyers’ action committee vowed to hold it in the court premises.

A press note issued by the Supreme Court on Sunday said the SCBA (Supreme Court Bar Association) and the PBC (Pakistan Bar Council) “have convened” an All-Pakistan Lawyers Convention inside the Supreme Court building on Monday, without permission of the court administration.

It said the convention had been declared illegal because “it will hamper” the smooth functioning of the court and other offices located in the building.

“It has, therefore, been decided that on 9th June, 2003, entry in the Court Building will be restricted to those persons, advocates only whose cases are fixed for hearing in the Court and they will be allowed entry in the Court Building on proper identification.”

After the meeting of the action committee, Mr Hamid Khan, President of SCBA, and Mian Abbas, Vice-Chairman of the PBC, said: “We don’t accept this restriction on the holding of convention in the Supreme Court premises.”

They said this was bar premises and “we will try to hold the convention as announced earlier, and if obstructed the administration of the Supreme Court will be responsible for the repercussions.”

Mr Khan said: “Lawyers have every right to use their own premises for their activities. We don’t have any plans to obstruct the functioning of the court and we know how to maintain the dignity of the court. Our protest will be peaceful.”

They said the lawyers are greater guardians of the court buildings than even the judges.