ISLAMABAD, Feb 1 The Pakistan Bar Council has summoned Qazi Mohammad Anwar on Feb 14 to defend his election as president of the Supreme Court Bar Association.

Barrister Baachaa, who had lost the election held on Oct 28 last year by a close margin of 22 votes, has moved PBC's executive committee requesting it to declare Qazi Anwar not eligible to hold the office of the SCBA president.

He accused him of rigging the elections as well as being a convict for possessing grenades and detonators.

The committee, headed by Nasrullah Warraich, met on Sunday and issued notice to Qazi Anwar. Other members of the committee are Ashraf Wahla, Said Rehman, Yasin Azad and Dr Khalid Ranjha.

“Qazi Mohammad Anwar is admittedly a convicted person for having grenades and detonators in his possession. A convicted person can neither be an advocate of the Supreme Court nor could and should represent the SCBA as president as he is patently disqualified,” said Barrister Baachaa in one-page application.

To prove his allegations, he has cited the Pakistan Law Journal, 1998, Peshawar, Page No. 200 in which Qazi Anwar, according to Mr Baachaa, admitted that he had been convicted. In 1979, Qazi Anwar was reportedly sentenced to nine months' imprisonment after some grenades and detonators were recovered from his possession.

REPLY Qazi Anwar has filed a reply to the allegations, saying that since the appeal was misconceived, it should not be entertained. He said nothing specific had been alleged against him by the appellant, who he said, was in the habit of “fabricating allegations”.