RAWALPINDI: Representatives of district and tehsil bar associations from across Rawalpindi Division met under the auspices of the High Court Bar Association Rawalpindi, with its president Saeed Yousaf Khan in the chair, to discuss recent judicial appointments in the Lahore High Court.
Members of the Punjab Bar Council, bar office-bearers, and presidents and secretaries of various bar associations attended the meeting.
The participants expressed serious concern over the recent judicial appointments in the Lahore High Court and condemned what they described as the continuous neglect of eligible and competent candidates from Rawalpindi Division.
They maintained that Rawalpindi Division had produced prominent lawyers, law officers, judges and chief justices for the judiciary. However, they said that no judge from the division had been appointed to the Lahore High Court since 2017, terming it an injustice.
The meeting unanimously demanded that Rawalpindi Division be given its due right and appropriate representation in judicial appointments.
The participants warned that if the concerns of the legal fraternity were not addressed, they would launch a protest movement in a constitutional, legal and democratic manner. They added that the scope of the movement could be expanded if required.
The meeting also approved the formation of a committee comprising senior lawyers. The committee will meet the relevant constitutional authorities to present the concerns of the lawyers’ community over the alleged neglect of Rawalpindi Division in judicial appointments and will make efforts for a fair resolution of the issue.
At the conclusion of the meeting, High Court Bar Association President Saeed Yousaf Khan and Secretary General Qasim Mahmood Malik thanked members of the Punjab Bar Council and office-bearers of all district and tehsil bar associations for their participation, unity and solidarity.
They reiterated that the lawyers’ community of Rawalpindi Division would continue its struggle until the attainment of its constitutional rights and fair representation.
