ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) has condemned the purported move of the Federal Law Minister, Farogh Naseem, to what it claims link the provision of Grant-in-Aid to the Bar Association with the condition “to pass a resolution against the judges of the Supreme Court, especially Justice Qazi Faez Isa.”

The PBC Vice-Chairman, Khush Dil Khan, in a statement issued, on Thursday, condemned the conduct of Naseem regarding the alleged move.

He said lawyers will protect independent judges and will go to any extent for independence of judiciary and the Rule of law.

He also criticised Farogh for using Grant-in-Aid “as a tool to get the support of the lawyers’ community against independent judges.”

He directed provincial/Islamabad Bar Councils to initiate disciplinary proceedings against the office bearers of those Bar Associations “who passed the resolution against the judges of superior court on the desire of Naseem.”

The federal and provincial governments are bound under Section 57 of the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act, 1973 to provide Grant-in-Aid to the Bar Councils/Associations, he added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021