PESHAWAR, July 11: The Peshawar District Bar Association’s general-secretary Naeem Jan Malik has condemned the promulgation of the Contempt of Court Ordinance, 2003, stating that it was aimed at saving the superior judiciary from the ongoing criticism by lawyers and politicians.

In a press statement issued here on Friday, he said the main objective of the ordinance was to stop the lawyers community across the country from continuing their ongoing movement against the Legal Framework Order, especially against the three-year extension given to superior court judges in their service tenure.

Mr Malik said that through such tactics the lawyers community could not be cowed down, and that they would continue to raise their voice against the judges “who had become partners in the power game with the military rulers”.

He said all the corrupt judges would be made accountable for their misdeeds. He added that his association rejected this ordinance and would convene a meeting for condemning it.

Mr Malik said it would be unjust that the Chief Justice of Pakistan would try a person for committing contempt against him.