Lahore

Government manipulating SCBA election: lawyers group Tuesday, October 28, 2008 By Our Correspondent LAHORE PROFESSIONAL Group of lawyers has accused Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, Attorney General Sardar Latif Khosa and Federal Law Minister Farooq H Naek of manipulating the election of Supreme Court Bar Association. Addressing a press conference here on Monday members of the Professional Group said their rival candidate Senator M Zafar is being supported by the PPP government and the lawyers affiliated to this party in his support is trying their best to secure victory for ‘government’ backed candidate. President Lahore High Court Bar Association Anwar Kamal, former President SCBA Hamid Khan, former President LHCBA Ahmad Awais, Pir Khursheed Ahmad Kalim, President Lahore Bar Association, Manzoor Qadir, Mian Abdul Qadoos, secretary LHCBA Rana Asadullah Khan, Raja Zulqarnain and others addressed the press conference. They said they wanted victory of Ali Ahmad Kurd because they support continuation of the movement for the rule of law and supremacy of the Constitution which is critical for the survival of the country. While the other side wanted to end the movement for their personal gains at the cost of national interests. Mr. Kamal accused that the office of the Attorney General had become an election office for Mr. M. Zafar. He described oath taken by Asif Ali Zardari for the office of President by Justice Dogar as ‘unconstitutional’ as result of it, he added, the sitting federal government was also unconstitutional. Justice Dogar is not a bonafide Chief Justice, he added. Responding to a query Hamid Khan said, Chief Justice of Pakistan Abdul Hameed Dogar was staying in Karachi to personally contact the voters and ask them to support Mr. Zafar. The speakers invited the attention of media towards the lavish spending on meals at five stars hotels by the rivals to attract the voters saying that they were going to every extent to win the elections. Responding to a question Anwar Kamal, Hamid Khan and Ahmad Awais said the PPP government, which was supporting Mr. Zafar, was not sincere in restoring Justice Chaudhry who was a symbol of independent judiciary. The movement aimed at protecting the country against disintegration therefore the legal fraternity would go ahead with the movement regardless of what is the outcome of the elections, they added. Later Secretary SCBA, Ch. Amin Javed informed the media about security measures taken for the elections to be held today. He said in Lahore the polling will be held in the premises of SCBA and only the members of the bar would be allowed to enter the premises. He further said the voters would not be allowed to carry their cell phones in polling booths. The polling will be held from 8:30 am to 4:30pm with one break for prayer and lunch, he said while adding that the members would be allowed to cast their votes on showing membership card of SCBA or Punjab Bar Council.