ISLAMABAD: Cracks have started surfacing in the newly elected premier lawyers’ body, the Sup­reme Court Bar Associ­ation (SCBA), as its president and executive committee have disowned a press statement issued by the secre­tary Salman Ma­n­soor condemning the 26th constitutional amendment.

In a public statement on Thursday, SCBA President Mian Muhammad Rauf Atta said the statement of the secretary was without the approval of the 27th executive committee.

He added that this unauthorised statement, which appeared to align with a specific political stance, does not reflect the SCBA’s position.

Salman Mansoor had condemned constitutional amendment

The association operates independently, unaligned with any political party, and does not engage in promoting external or political agendas through press releases, the president’s statement said.

Parliament’s authority

It added that SCBA as an institution, its president and the executive committee, reaffirm its unwavering commitment to the supremacy of parliament and strict adherence to the laws enacted by it.

The association firmly believes that the “Consti­tution is the cornerstone of our legal framework” and that parliament is the sole authority to amend or repeal any law.

The statement added that the SCBA approved the 26th Cons­titutional Amend­ment, as it was in line with recommendations of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and the then executive committee of the association.

It is a positive step towards ensuring swift and efficient dispensation of justice to litigants and the public.

This amendment, widely regarded by the legal fraternity as a democratic exercise of the parliament’s prerogative, serves to uphold judicial independence.

The role of the secretary, as defined by SCBA Rules 1989, is primarily that of record-keeping, acting under the direction of the president or the executive committee, the statement said.

It added that a majority of the 27th executive committee members have categorically disowned the statement issued by the secretary and have called upon the president to address this matter in the upcoming meeting.

The statement also hinted at “appropriate actions” in line with the applicable laws and rules.

Published in Dawn, November 15th, 2024