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In response to the transfer of three high court judges to the Islamabad High Court (IHC), the Karachi Bar Association (KBA) went on strike, leading to the suspension of all legal proceedings at the city courts and subordinate judiciary on Monday, Dawn reported.
The strike was called in solidarity with the Islamabad District Bar Association, Islamabad High Court Bar Association, and Islamabad Bar Council. As a result, KBA attorneys refrained from court proceedings, bringing judicial activities to a standstill. Throughout the day, city courts remained desolate, with most inmates awaiting trial unable to appear before judges. In addition to the strike, the KBA urged its members to participate in a protest outside the Supreme Court next week. The association also demanded that the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) postpone its upcoming meeting, which is set to discuss appointments for eight vacant Supreme Court positions. At a general body meeting chaired by KBA President Aamir Nawaz Warraich and led by General Secretary Muhammad Rehman Korai, the association passed a resolution strongly condemning the judges' transfer to the IHC. The resolution labeled the move as a "blatant attack on judicial independence" and a "politically motivated and unconstitutional" action, reported Dawn. The KBA further asserted that the transfer violated Article 200 of the Constitution and warned that such actions threatened the integrity of Pakistan's judicial system. The move was described as a "dangerous attempt to manipulate the judiciary for vested interests" and as having taken place "without due process and meaningful consultation." Calling for urgent action, the KBA urged the Supreme Court to take suo motu notice of what it termed an infringement on judicial independence. It demanded an immediate reversal of the "unconstitutional transfer" of the judges to the IHC. The association also cautioned that if their demands were not met, bar councils across the country would launch protests to defend judicial integrity. The KBA, which is the largest bar association in Pakistan, also objected to the JCP's meeting, arguing that new judicial appointments should not be made until the petitions against the 26th Amendment are resolved. It called for the meeting to be postponed and insisted that a full court of all 16 sitting high court judges should hear these petitions, Dawn reported. Additionally, the KBA encouraged the legal community to oppose new Supreme Court appointments by participating in the All Pakistan Lawyers Convention on February 10 and staging protests outside the court. (ANI)
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