ISLAMABAD: A lawyers’ convention has unanimously resolved to resist persistent attacks on media and judiciary by a ‘hybrid authoritarian regime.’ The All Pakistan Lawyers Convention: ‘Assault on Judiciary and Media’, held on Thursday under the auspices of the Supreme Court Bar Association, in partnership with Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ), and AGHS and the SAFMA.
Over 500 leading lawyers, prominent journalists, civil society activists, and democratic representatives of people participated in the convention. They condemned systematic manipulations of judiciary, appointment of judges, victimisation and vilification of independent judges, arbitrary creation of special and accountability courts, suppression of fundamental rights, negating right to fair trial, right to life and security of citizens, and abduction and disappearance of dissenting elements.
The participants took serious exception to so-called hybrid warfare against its own citizens, dissenting voices, curbs on freedom of expression, blanket censorship across media platforms, and sidelining of independent voices from the media.
They called upon all the democratic forces, civil society organisations, trade unions, media organisations, and the minorities’ rights activists to join the struggle for supremacy of the Constitution, protection of the 18th Amendment, strengthening of civilian supremacy, independence of judiciary, and a free media.
The military high-brass was asked to respect their oath, follow constitutional and legal constraints, while focusing on their professional duties to safeguard geographical frontiers and security of Pakistan.
The judiciary has been urged to protect its independence, thwart executive’s interference in its functioning, guard all the fundamental rights of the citizens, equality of federating units and citizens, ensure rule of law and right to fair trial.
The parliamentarians have been asked to shun the current wave of animosity, rise above their partisan interests, and join hands to make parliament a sovereign legislative body, make executive and all its departments and institutions, including intelligence agencies, armed forces, and bureaucracy answerable to the public representatives.
The convention also urged the parliamentarians to strengthen democratic process and ensure its uninterrupted continuity, bring electoral reforms, ensure free and fair elections, and avoid playing into the hands of autocratic forces and sectarian elements.
The participants demanded to bring an end to reverse-application of hybrid warfare against the media and civil society, dissenting and critical voices, and withdraw all kinds of curbs on ‘freedom of opinion and expression.’
They also demanded to ensure the prompt release of all missing persons and bring them into the purview of law, pay reparations to the aggrieved families, and bring the abductors to justice.
“To constitute [a] high level commission to inquire into the statement made by ex-IHC judge Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui regarding [the] role of chief of an intelligence agency, influencing him in [a] judicial matter,” they further demanded.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021
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