PESHAWAR: Legal fraternity across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa on Wednes­day condemned the statements of the federal government, including ministers and attorney general, and the director general of armed forces media wing against the conviction of former military dictator Pervez Musharraf and decided to observe a province-wide strike on Thursday against their “insulting attitude and expressions” towards the judiciary.

The former army chief and president Gen Pervez Musharraf was convicted of high treason under Article 6 of the Constitution by a special court comprising judges of three high courts of the country.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council (KPBC) vice chairman Saeed Khan and chairman of its executive committee Haq Nawaz Khan Shangla said in a joint statement that the bar council strongly condemned the attitude and expressions of Director General of the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor regarding the judgement delivered by the special court.

It added: “According to the view of the KP Bar Council, if there are some flaws in the judgement in the Musharraf’s case in the opinion of the DG ISPR, then the law has provided procedure and proper course for agitating such flaws, if any, before the superior judicial forums through appeal, revision or constitutional petition, etc.”

The statement further said: “The lawyers’ community is of the opinion that the attitude adopted by the federal government, its ministers, law officers and especially the Attorney General for Pakistan is also clear proof of the fact that the ruling party has been installed by the army and its institution on the ruling seat. Therefore, they are also criticising the judgement in the same tone and manner.”

The council announced that due to the insulting attitude and expressions by the army and the government regarding the judiciary, the lawyers’ community strongly condemned the statements.

For expressing their respect for the judiciary, the bar council asked the lawyers’ community of Khyber Pakhtun­khwa to boycott court proceedings on Dec 19 throughout the province.

It explained that the lawyers’ community would conduct meetings at bar rooms to condemn the insulting and disgraceful attitude of the government and that of the ISPR director general towards the judiciary.

“The lawyers’ community is committed to the independence, respect and sovereignty of the judiciary of Pakistan,” the bar council maintained.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2019