GILGIT: The Gilgit-Baltistan High Court Bar Association has condemned the statement of ex-chief judge of the GB Supreme Appellate Court Rana Shamim about the former chief justice of Pakistan Justice Saqib Nisar, and termed it an attempt to tarnish the image of the country’s judiciary.

It demanded of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to constitute a judicial commission to probe the allegations.

The development came at a meeting of the bar association chaired by its president Zakaria Ahmed Advocate, according to a press release.

The participants alleged that during his tenure as the Chief Justice of GB Supreme Appellate Court, Rana Shamim tried to derail the judicial system by creating misunderstandings between the lawyers and judges. They claimed Justice Shamim was the only person whose appointment as GB Supreme Appellate Court chief was protested by the GB lawyers’ community and the general public.

They accused Justice Shamim of getting registered cases against the respected and senior lawyers of GB at local police stations and suspending their licences.

They said members of GB High Court Bar Association viewed the statement of the former chief justice of the Supreme Appellate Court as against his oath and judicial ethics.

Published in Dawn, November 29th, 2021