The 169th meeting of the Pakistan Bar Council was held on yesterday the 13th
January, 2008 at 12–00 noon in premises of Peshawar High Court Bar Association,
Pelshawar. The meeting was presided over by Mirza Aziz Akbar Baig,
Vice–Chairman, Pakistan Bar Council and was attended by the following:–
(1) Mirza Aziz Akbar Baig from Multan .. Vice–Chairman
(2) Qazi Muhammad Anwar from Peshawar .. Member
(3) Mr. Safir Ullah Khan from Peshawar .. Member
(4) Haji Syed Rahman from Peshawar .. Member
(5) Mr. Fazal–i–Haq Abbasi from Abbottabad .. Member
(6) Ch. Muhammad Ashraf Wahlah from Lahore .. Member
(7) Dr. A. Khalid Ranjha from Lahore .. Member
(8) Sardar Muhammad Latif Khosa from Lahore .. Member
(9) Mr. Muhammad Ahsan Bhoon from Lahore .. Member
(10) Syed Qalb–i–Hassan from Rawalpindi .. Member
(11) Mr. Muhammad Ramzan Chaudhry from Lahore .. Member
(12) Mr. Hamid Khan from Lahore .. Member
(13) Mr. Muhammad Kazim Khan from Lahore .. Member
(14) Mr. Rasheed A. Razvi from Karachi .. Member
(15) Mr. Abu’l Inam from Karachi .. Member
(16) Mr. Imdad Ali Awan from Sukkur .. Member
(17) Mr. Muhammad Yasin Azad from Karachi .. Member
(18) Mr. Farooq H. Naek from Karachi .. Member
The Pakistan Bar Council in its meeting by majority passed the following:
R E S O L U T I O N
“WHEREAS the lawyers fraternity in Pakistan stand by the judges who refused to
take oath of usurper General (R) Musharaf.
AND WHEREAS the lawyers recognize Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry as the
Chief Justice of Pakistan and other judges who did not take oath under PCO on or
after 3 November 2007 as judges of the Supreme Court under the Constitution.
AND WHEREAS the lawyers recognize the Chief Justices Tariq
Parvez and Sabihuddin Ahmad and judges of the Peshawar and Sindh High Courts who
did not take oath under PCO on and after 3 November 2007 as valid and
constitutional judges.
AND WHEREAS the lawyers refuse to recognize those persons as judges who took
oath under PCO on or after 3 November 2007.
AND WHEREAS General (R) Parvez Musharaf is unconstitutionally occupying the
office of the President of Pakistan and the lawyers in Pakistan do not recognize
him as President.
AND WHEREAS the lawyers in Pakistan are leading nation wide movement for
independence of judiciary, the rule of law and supremacy of the Constitution
since 9 March 2007 and are determined to continue their movement and struggle
for the restoration of the judiciary and the Constitution as it stood before 3
November 2007 with greater vigour.
AND WHEREAS the lawyers fraternity throughout Pakistan specially appreciates the
sentiments and the struggle of the lawyers from NWFP since 3 November 2007 and
their determination to continue on the path with high spirits and deep
commitment.
AND WHEREAS large number of citizens are facing great hardship and privation
before false criminal cases against them and the common litigants are facing
enormous difficulties in determination of their genuine claims.
AND WHEREAS the movement for restoration of judiciary and the constitution will
gain further momentum after 18 February 2008 with greater participation of
political parties and political workers.
THE PAKISTAN BAR COUNCIL in its meeting held at Peshawar on 13 January 2008 has
resolved as under:–
1. The Council pays rich tributes to the entire legal community in general and
the lawyers of NWFP in particular for their sentiments, sacrifices and stand to
the effect that complete boycott of PCO judges should be continued.
2. The Council resolves to continue boycott of PCO judges in the following
manner:–
(i) There will be complete boycott of PCO judges on every Thursday of the week.
(ii) There will be one hour boycott of PCO judges from 10.30 to 11.30 A.M. on
every day of the week.
However:
(a) This is not a direction to appear before PCO judges on other days and time
but only a concession in public interest in view of the misery of persons
falsely accused of criminal cases and hardship of litigants seeking
determination of their genuine claims.
(b) This call is the minimum boycott call for all the bar associations.
(c) This concession does not constitute recognition of PCO judges as valid and
constitutional judges.
3. All Associations in the country shall hold general body meetings and take out
processions and rallies outside the court premises every Thursday.
4. Every Bar Association shall form a hunger strike camp where at least two
members shall sit in hunger strike for at least two hours every day.
5. No Bar Association shall invite any PCO judge in Bar functions and office
bearers of all Bar Associations shall boycott all functions of PCO judges.
6. The Council shall hold national conventions at Islamabad and the Provincial
Capitals to advance the cause of restoration of judiciary of 2 November 2007.
First convention will be held on Saturday, 9 February 2008 at Islamabad which
will be followed by a march of lawyers to the residence of the Chief Justice
Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry where he is being kept in illegal detention.
7. The Council demands immediate release of Mr. Aitzaz Ahsan, Mr. Ali Ahmad Kurd
and Mr. Tariq Mahmood and other political prisoners in the country.
(Mirza Aziz Akbar Baig)
Vice–Chairman