Pakistan Muslim League (PML) government believes in supremacy of constitution, upholding of law and respect of judiciary but opposition parties are engaged in a futile attempt to mislead lawyers for influencing the decision of Supreme Judicial Council.
Punjab Chief Minister, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi stated this while addressing the lawyers' convention arranged by Pakistan Muslim League (Lawyers Wing), Punjab, here at Al-Hamra Hall, on Monday. Presidents, secretaries and office-bearers of PML (Lawyers Wing) of various districts and Tehsils of the province participated in the convention.
The CM exhorted upon the lawyers to forge unity in their ranks and play their due role for upholding the law and constitution and dignity of judiciary. 'PML has a national thinking and will extend all out support to the lawyers who will gather on its platform. Highhandedness and violation of the rights of lawyers supporting PML will not be allowed', he added.
Pervaiz Elahi maintained that government would extend all out support for strengthening of legal community at every level. He added that some elements are engaged in a negative propaganda of cancellation of membership of lawyers having national thinking. He said that people expect lawyers to hold law and judiciary in high esteem. He averred that government would foil every attempt to usurp the rights of lawyers.
He further said that the lawyers belonging to opposition have insulted the entire judicial system by manhandling senior lawyers in Islamabad, which has also hurt the image of this noble profession. He said that media has always highlighted the role of lawyers at every level but the lawyers of opposition also indulged in violence against journalists and representatives of media, which is highly deplorable.
He also deplored the incident of highhandedness against Dr Khalid Ranjha. He said that government has provided huge funds to tehsil, district, High Court and Supreme Court Bar Councils for the welfare of lawyers but some lawyers tried to uproot the inaugural plaques of development projects initiated by the government which is condemnable as well as against the interest of legal institutions.
The CM said that such a large number of participation of lawyers in the convention has dispelled the misleading impression made by some circles against the lawyers' community and proved that PML has wholehearted support of lawyers. He stressed upon the participants of the convention to highlight identity of Muslim League Lawyers' Wing at Tehsil and district levels and fully represent the point of view of the party.
He said that government would give due importance to the proposals of lawyers' associations. He stressed upon ministers and assembly members to hold consultation with the lawyers at the regional level for the solution of their problems to strengthen and activate the legal community. Moreover, various resolutions were also adopted in the convention.