LAHORE: A general house meeting of the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) convened on Thursday to take up five resolutions on the issue of a reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa was adjourned owing to rumpus.

The house turned into a fish market at the outset after Secretary Fayyaz Ahmad Ranjha decided to read the resolutions himself instead of giving this opportunity to the movers.

There were two resolutions in support of Justice Isa — one jointly moved by Syed Manzoor Gillani and Rana Asadullah Khan while the second was by Barrister Zafarullah Khan.

Khaqan Mir, Ishtiaq Gohar and Zafar Iqbal Mangan had moved resolutions in support of the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) hearing the reference against Justice Isa.

The secretary started reading the first joint resolution when its mover Mr Khan objected and sought permission to present his resolution before the house. However, the secretary turned down the request that led to an uproar in the house.

LHCBA President Hafeezur Rehman Chaudhry and Vice President Kabir Ahmad were also present in the meeting.

Law officers of the federal and provincial governments mostly affiliated to the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf and the PML-Q were also present in the house to support the pro-SJC resolutions while lawyers belonging to the PML-N attended the proceedings to back anti-reference resolutions. Lawyers belonging to the PML-Q also came from various cities to attend the meeting.

The sloganeering by both sides of lawyers made it difficult for the bar’s secretary to continue with the proceedings of the house.

Later, a statement issued by the LHCBA said the house was adjourned owing to rumpus and it would soon be convened at any appropriate time to take up the resolutions. However, it said the bar had nothing to do with any political party and the matter of the reference was pending before the SJC.

It also hoped that the SJC would decide the matter strictly in accordance with law and the Constitution. It distanced itself from the strike call given by the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) for June 14 (today) when the SJC would be hearing the reference against Justice Isa.

After the house was adjourned, both sides of the lawyers gathered outside the barroom and chanted slogans in favour of their respective stance. They dispersed peacefully after half an hour’s show of strength.

LHCBA President Chaudhry belongs to Independent Group of lawyers, commonly known as the late Asma Jahangir’s group. At present it is led by PBC member Ahsan Bhoon. Secretary Ranjha has roots in the PML-Q.

Meanwhile, a general house meeting of the Lahore Bar Association (LBA) passed a resolution in favour of the proceedings on the reference before the SJC and also rejected the strike call.

LBA President Asim Cheema had contested the election on the platform of Hamid Khan-led Professional group. Mr Khan has already announced support for Justice Isa terming the reference was based on mala fide intention.

However, Cheema seems to be more loyal to his senior associate Asghar Ai Gill who is close to the PML-Q. Gill is a former president of the LHCBA and also a member of the Professional Group.

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2019