ISLAMABAD, Nov 3: The Supreme Court has decided to strip the president of Supreme Court Bar Association of the honour of being a “senior advocate” which was bestowed upon him by the former Chief Justice Irshad Hasan Khan.

Sources in the SC have confirmed that the decision to withdraw the status of senior advocate has been taken at the highest level after SCBA’s recent statement in which it said the judiciary had ceased to be independent after taking oath under the PCO.

Hamid Khan, president of Supreme Court Bar Association, antagonised the judiciary by making a written statement before the five-judge bench, headed by the chief justice, that his association had no faith in the judiciary and arguing any matter before it, involving constitutional matters, in its present composition, would be an exercise in futility.

“Those who can bestow the honour, can also withdraw the same,” an official of the Supreme Court said.

The SC bench, in its order passed on the application of SCBA, mentioned Hamid Khan, as “Hamid Khan, ASC”, or only Hamid Khan, and not as “Hamid Khan, Sr ASC”, as is the practice with the senior lawyers.

Under the SC rules, the status of a senior advocate can be awarded “on application or otherwise” to those who have ten years of SC practice, and “were judged by the knowledge, ability and experience to be worthy of the status of Senior Advocate.”