KARACHI: The Sindh Bar Council (SBC) on Wednesday called upon Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) to urgently take the suo motu notice of the ongoing crisis in Sindh after leave applications tendered by dozens of police officers in the province over demolarization of force.

SBC, in a resolution showed it concern at a report that IG of Sindh Police was “abducted” from his residence and forced to issue orders to arrest opposition leader Muhammad Safdar (husband of Maryam Nawaz). Till now, this report has not been contradicted by the relevant authority and has been tacitly confirmed by the Sindh Government.

“The leave applications tendered by dozens of senior police officers throughout Sindh citing demoralization of the force due to this brazen interference in policing functions are a sign of complete breakdown of the rule of law and an undeclared martial law.”

“Unfortunately, the judiciary of Pakistan has remained a silent spectator in the face of this situation and, indeed, is widely being seen as a facilitator of elements who wish to carry out an extra-constitutional role. For several years now, Bars throughout Pakistan (and a handful of bold judges) have been protesting against the interference by covert agencies/establishment in judicial affairs.

“However, unlike the Sindh Police, the judiciary is yet to take a strong stance against such interference, SBC stated and added that it felt that unless this trend of interference in civil and judicial administration is immediately reversed it will permanently damage the public reputation and trust not only in the government and the judiciary of Pakistan but also the armed forces of Pakistan.”

The Bar Council called upon the Chief Justice of Pakistan to urgently take suo motu notice of this ongoing crisis and fix it for hearing and enquiry before a full court of the Supreme Court and to issue notice to the Vice Chairmen of all the Bar Councils, the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association and to Presidents of the provincial High Court Bar Associations to address the serious implications it poses for the rule of law and constitutionalism in Pakistan before it is too late.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020