LAHORE: A joint meeting of the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) and the Lahore Bar Association (LBA), both ruled by Hamid Khan-led professional group, has announced a multi-party conference (MPC) after Eid to oppose the 26th constitutional amendment and the ‘controversial’ electronic crime law (Peca).

According to a declaration issued by the LHCBA, the purpose of the MPC is to prevent the severe negative impact of the 26th constitutional amendment on judicial proceedings and the dispensation of justice.

The declaration also states that if the police continue to take action against lawyers, a ban on police entry into court premises will be imposed.

The meeting decided to accelerate the lawyers’ movement, with the participation of civil society, against the 26th amendment.

It demanded that the Supreme Court fix all petitions against the 26th amendment without a delay before a full court bench of the judges existing prior to the amendment and also decide the matter of the seniority of the judges transferred to Islamabad High Court from other provinces.

It condemned the incidents of police torture of lawyers, warning against banning the entry of police personnel to the courts’ premises, if such incidents were not ended.

RETIREMENT: Justice Anwarul Haq Pannun of the Lahore High Court reached superannuation on Thursday, bringing the number of vacant posts of the judges to 15.

A formal farewell ceremony was held in honour of the retiring judge.

Chief Justice Aalia Neelum and other judges attended the event, where they presented a bouquet to Justice Pannun.

Justice Pannun personally met with all judges and staff members.

He served as a judge at the Lahore High Court for approximately seven and a half years.

Before his elevation to the bench in2018, Justice Pannun was the president of the Lahore High Court Bar Association. Following his retirement, the total number of judges in the LHC has been reduced to 45.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2025