ISLAMABAD  -  The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) rejected the statement of Hamid Khan to start the lawyers movement from 30th November. In a statement issued on Monday, SCBA President Mian Rauf Ata said; “I understand that just a little while ago, Senator Hamid Khan ASC, held the press conference, akin to aligning with a specific political stance.”

“I want to make it abundantly clear that his averments do not reflect the legal fraternity’s position. He went on to unduly criticize the legitimacy of the constitutionally passed 26th amendment by the democratically elected Parliament and the formulation of the constitutional bench (the bench) and has further announced the 30th of November  as a date to start so-called lawyers agitation against the amendment,” said Ata. He continued, “Nonetheless, I want to make it abundantly clear that authority to make a call for any lawyers strike / protest, or movement solely rests with the elected representatives of the legal fraternity, not with any unelected person, let alone any politically aligned personality such as Senator Hamid Khan, ASC. Such calls are only meant to create division with the legal fraternity, which is highly disgraceful. I want to assert that this Association cannot allow anyone to promote political agendas using the shoulders of legal fraternity.”

Ata further said that the SCBAP, being the apex representative body of the entire legal fraternity, had already approved the amendment passed by Parliament. Needless to state that the recommendations of the legal fraternity have been fully enforced in the Amendments, he said. “We once again reiterate our full confidence in the Constitution and shall not allow anyone to undermine the integrity and disturb working of the constitutional bench for petty political whims. “As of today, the bench is working promptly, and we hope that it will contribute to reducing the substantial backlog of constitutional cases and will increase the efficiency of the Supreme Court. Aggrieved from the formation of the bench are those who do not want to see the efficient Supreme Court contributing speedy and expeditious dispensation of justice,” he concluded.