Hundreds of lawyers rallied in Islamabad on Monday to protest the decision of Judicial Commission of Pakistan to elevate six high court judges to the Supreme Court. Protests flared as lawyers demanded an adjournment of the JCP meeting, which went ahead despite the opinion of four Supreme Court judges and legal groups.
Protests erupted at several points in the capital, with the lawyers’ committee holding a protest near D-Chowk. The protests became violent when security forces clashed with the protesters while trying to enter the key areas. The police retaliated by blocking several major roads that led to the Red Zone, causing traffic congestion all over the city. Metro bus services were suspended at various points, causing more dislocation to the daily commuters.
Protesters also staged a significant number of demonstrations at Serena Chowk, protesting the postponement of the JCP meeting. Former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party strongly opposed the appointments and joined the protests.
Controversial Appointments and Legal Challenges
The Judicial Commission is set to fill eight vacant Supreme Court seats under the controversial 26th Constitutional Amendment, which includes four members from Parliament. The newly appointed judges are Justice Muhammad Hashim Khan Kakar, Justice Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui, Justice Salahuddin Panhwar, Justice Shakeel Ahmad, Justice Aamer Farooq, and Justice Ishtiaq Ibrahim. However, the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court was not included in the list, raising further concerns among the legal community.
PTI Senator Hamid Khan termed these appointments “unconstitutional” and “illegitimate.” Talking to Geo News, he said that his party would never accept the appointments. He made this statement after earlier protests, including a strike by lawyers in Islamabad on February 3 against the transfer of three high court judges to the Islamabad High Court (IHC), whereas the Karachi Bar Association supported the strike and stayed out of court.
Day-to-Day Impact of Islamabad Demonstrations
The protest demonstrations profoundly disrupted the city’s transportation system of Islamabad. Blocking roads to the Red Zone and suspending the metro bus resulted in severe traffic jam across the city, which further escalated tensions around the protest rallies.
Legal fraternity opposition to appointments and ongoing demonstrations indicate a rise in the increasing dissatisfaction within Pakistan’s legal community towards decisions taken by the JCP recently.