SCBA President Amanullah Kanrani 'removed' from post over alleged misconduct

Published September 17, 2019
SCBA President  Amanullah Kanrani. — Photo courtesy of NDU.edu.pk
SCBA President Amanullah Kanrani. — Photo courtesy of NDU.edu.pk

The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) removed its own president, Amanullah Kanrani, through a resolution on Monday.

A general body meeting of the association "showed its vote of no-confidence" against Kanrani, a notification issued by the SCBA said.

"The house unanimously resolves and shows its vote of 'no confidence' on Amanullah Kanrani over non-attendance of today's special general meeting by him, although the agenda of the same was issued by him," read a resolution.

The general body meeting authorised SCBA Senior Vice President (Sindh) to act as the president as per "the SCBA rules" for the remaining tenure of the executive committee. The body also condemned the "contemptuous" conduct of Kanrani, which it said had been embarrassing to the bar.

"The house condemned the mala fide and malicious / contemptuous conduct of SCBA president which is embarrassing for whole legal fraternity and for the apex bar of the country."

The body further passed multiple resolutions concerning the SCBA chief.

"The house unanimously resolves that the amount of monthly rent of the SCBA hostel from May 1, 2019 to date must be recovered from Kanrani along with the amount which was paid by the SCBA on account of payment of utility bills and staff salaries," read the resolution.

The meeting participants also approved sending the matter to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), if Kanrani fails to submit the amount.

"The house unanimously resolves that if SCBA President Kanrani fails to deposit the amount of monthly rent and staff salaries, an application on account of embezzlement and misappropriation of funds must be submitted to NAB and FIA, along with the reference to be filed in the Pakistan Bar Council against Kanrani."

The body has already submitted in Islamabad's Secretariat Police Station an application to investigate the financial matter for investigation.

Amanullah Kanrani was elected to the highly coveted post in October 2018, after a tough contest between the Independent Group (Asma Jahangir’s panel) led by Ali Ahmed Kurd, and the Professional Group (Hamid Khan’s panel) led by Kanrani. Kanrani had obtained 1,092 votes in total whereas Kurd had received 950 votes.

Kanrani has recently been in the news for his combative stance against the Supreme Judicial Council's hearing of a judicial reference against Supreme Court Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

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