LAHORE, Oct 25: Supreme Court Bar Association President Aitzaz Ahsan has accused the Pakistan Bar Council of interfering in the bar election, calling upon the members to support those struggling for rule of law, independence of judiciary and restoration of the deposed judges.

Addressing a press conference after presiding over the annual general meeting of the SCBA here on Saturday, he said the legal fraternity had played its role for the independence of judiciary and supported the judges for taking bold decisions.

He alleged that the PBC was interfering in the SCBA elections as “it has changed the returning officers and allowed a number of ineligible persons to cast votes”. He said the council had no authority to interfere in the lawyers’ supreme body polls, which was ignoring the issue only to let the election process complete smoothly. It, however, reserved the right to challenge unauthorised interference in the election.

Aitzaz said the powers-that-be had time and again promised to reinstate the judges, but failed to honour their commitment after assuming power. He said the lawyers’ movement would continue until the restoration of all the deposed judges. He said he would continue supporting the movement as a member of the Pakistan People’s Party on completion of his tenure as the SCBA president.

He said the SCBA had decided to issue notice to former SCBA president Malik Qayyum for not returning the bar funds which he had received from the government. The funds, he said, were meant to be used for the welfare of the members but he (Qayyum) illegally transferred these funds to the account of his personal trust.