Pakistan Bar Council to organise protests
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In Pakistan, the largest organization of lawyers, the Pakistan Bar Council, has stated that on September 9th, lawyers across the country will observe a strike in demand of a general election date. While speaking to the media near the Supreme Court in Islamabad on Monday, the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Pakistan Bar Council, Hasan Raza Pasha, said, "On September 9th, there will be a nationwide strike of lawyers. No lawyer will appear in any court."
Hasan Raza stated that a meeting of committees from Punjab, Balochistan, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad Bar Councils had been convened to take "practical steps" against the current constitutional crisis and inflation. He also mentioned that during the meeting, an agreement was reached to demand the President of Pakistan to announce the election date in accordance with Article 48(5) within 90 days, as stipulated under Article 224, without the need for consultation as they are authorized to provide the constitutional date.
The meeting also discussed issues related to electricity, gas, and telephone bills. Hasan Raza Pasha insisted that the current government, under interim arrangements, should stop providing free electricity and gas connections to judges, generals, and government officials within a week.
Regarding missing persons, Hasan Raza Pasha said that the issue of missing persons is escalating in the country, and they should be presented before the courts. If there are allegations against them, they should be brought before the law.
Furthermore, he demanded an immediate hearing of references against judges of the Supreme Court from all Bar Councils. He also called for Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa to take action on these references after taking the oath of office. Hasan Raza Pasha emphasized that they are demanding the government to withdraw utility bills concessions and announce an election date in compliance with the constitution before taking office.
