Sacked LHC judge says independent judiciary only solution to problems facing nation

LAHORE: The lawyers’ struggle is not merely for the reinstatement of sacked judges, but to ensure the establishment of an independent judiciary, MA Shahid Siddiqi, a former judge of the Lahore High Court, said on Thursday. Addressing a general house meeting of the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) before taking out a weekly rally on Thursday, he said lawyers were committed to the struggle for the rule of law, restoration of judiciary and the supremacy of the constitution. “An independent judiciary is the only solution to all problems confronting the nation,” he said. He demanded parliament repeal Article 270 (AAA) of the constitution, which gave protection to the provisional constitution order (PCO) of November 3, 2007. He said parliament should never endorse this provision, which was issued by a military dictator.

“The people of Swat did not demand construction of any road or establishment of any factory but they took to streets for speedy justice,” he said and added only an ideal judicial system can restore peace to the troubled areas.

Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry was addressing the All Pakistan Lawyers Convention held on the premises of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) here, his second visit to Peshawar after he was sacked in the wake of promulgation of emergency-cum-martial law of Nov 2, 2008.

Read more

These were just two of the issues discussed by hundreds of Muslim women who gathered in Malaysia to launch a new global campaign for equality. Reform of family law is at the heart of the campaign, to tackle what organisers called the “untenable” treatment of some Islamic women. Polygamy, consent to marry, inheritance rights, custody of children after divorce – all are areas where they want change.

Zainah Anwar is at the helm of the campaign. She helped organise the conference in Kuala Lumpur, which culminated in the unveiling of a new organisation called Musawah, which means equality in Arabic. “The disconnect between Muslim family laws that discriminate against women and the realities of women’s lives today is untenable and unacceptable,” she said. “Women can’t take that any longer.”

Read more

Those expected to be elevated to the Supreme Court are Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Sardar Mohammad Aslam, who will be retiring as IHC chief justice on March 8; Sindh High Court Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, who as a high court judge will retire on December 2013; Lahore High Court Chief Justice Sayed Zahid Hussain (retiring on December 2011); Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Tariq Parvez Khan and Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Amanullah Khan Yasinzai. This will raise the strength of the apex court to 25. The finance bill approved in June last year had raised the strength of the Supreme Court to 29 from 16 (excluding the chief justice).

Read more