ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) on Wednesday again gave a call for a one-day countrywide strike in protest against a decision of the National Judicial Policy Making Committee (NJPMC) in respect of Sections 22A and 22B of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Earlier on March 11, the PBC had called for a two-day strike.

In the fresh call, the PBC through an announcement stated that in line with the decision taken by the All Pakistan Lawyers Representatives Convention on March 26, which was held under the auspices of the Lahore High Court Bar Association, PBC vice chairman Syed Amjad Shah has requested the lawyers to observe a daylong strike throughout the country.

NJPMC recently allowed complaint cells at SP offices to address complaints. Earlier, the supervisory role used to be with justice of peace

The call asks the lawyers’ bodies to hold protest meetings in their respective bar rooms against the NJPMC decision and press for acceptance of their demand for reversing the same.

On March 11, the NJPMC had asked for opening of a complaint cell with the superintendent police (complaints) in every district of the country to deal with complaints related to unregistered FIRs and police failure to fulfil their functions and duties. Earlier, this supervisory role was vested with the ‘justice of peace/sessions judge’ to hear complaints against failure of the police to perform their duties diligently.

Soon after the decision, the PBC held a meeting and called for a countrywide strike for the restoration of the previous practice of entertainment of applications by the justice of peace.

It was explained during the meeting that after the decision, instead of direct entertainment of applications of aggrieved persons by the police officials concerned, the complainant will have to approach and appear before the superintendent of police.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2019