LAHORE: A PTI-backed lawyers’ convention on Saturday demanded a full court of the Supreme Court judges to hear the petitions against the 26th amendment and live broadcast of the proceedings on TV channels.

The convention also called for the cancellation of the judicial commission meeting on appointment of judges to the Supreme Court. It also condemned the amendments to the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) and announced support for the journalists.

The convention, jointly hosted by the Lahore High Court Bar Association and the Lahore Bar Association, was attended by the representatives of lawyers from across the country.

In a joint declaration, it was stated that the government intended to appoint its preferred lawyers as Supreme Court judges, which was against the independence of the judiciary. Therefore, the judicial commission meeting scheduled for Feb 10 for the appointment of judges should be canceled.

The declaration further emphasised that all Supreme Court benches were constitutional benches and that judicial orders took precedence over administrative decisions.

It called for the appointment of the most senior judge of the Islamabad High Court as the next chief justice and opposed the appointment of a chief justice from any other high court.

The lawyers expressed their support for the latest letter from the judges of the Islamabad High Court on the issue of the appointment of the new chief justice.

The convention condemned the suspension of the Supreme Court Bar Association Secretary Salman Mansoor for not supporting the 26th amendment, calling it a violation of the bar rules and interference in its affairs.

It declared the amendments to the Peca an infringement on freedom of expression.

Speaking at the convention, former president of the SCBA Senator Hamid Khan said the lawyers’ movement had started and it would sweep away the 26th amendment.

He said former chief justice Qazi Faez Isa had paved the way for horse trading, claiming that in the lawyers’ view Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah was the chief justice. He stated that the rulers were mere puppets and that parliament held no real authority.

Other speakers at the convention included Barrister Salahuddin, Riyasat Azad, LHCBA President Asad Manzoor Butt, LBA President Mubashir Rehman, Ahmed Awais, Rabbiya Bajwa and Ishtiaq A. Khan.

Published in Dawn, February 2nd, 2025