Federal Minister for Law and Justice, Senator Azam Nazeer Tarar, addresses a National Assembly on Friday, April 19, 2024. PHOTO: FACEBOOK/NATIONAL ASSEMBLY
ISLAMABAD:
The federal government-backed Independent Group has consolidated its influence in the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), securing a majority in the top regulatory body of lawyers for the next five years in an election that has far-reaching institutional and political implications.
Led by Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and Ahsan Bhoon, the Independent Group is a vocal supporter of the 26th and 27th constitutional amendments.
Its dominance is also seen as a shot in the arm for the nascent federal constitutional court, which is navigating an early phase marked by legal and administrative challenges.
Out of the PBC’s 23 seats, the group has won eight seats from Punjab, four from Sindh, two from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and one from Islamabad, enabling it to retain its long-standing majority.
The election attracted increased attention due to the direct participation of key political and legal figures. Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Secretary General Salman Akram Raja both participated in the polls and were elected as members of the council.
Five members belonging to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) have also been elected to the PBC. Farooq H Naek, considered one of the OPP’s top legal heads, has also secured a seat on the council.
The Independent Group, known as a pro-government bloc, has been in the majority in the PBC since 2010.
A majority of PBC members appoint their representative to the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP), a constitutional body responsible for appointing judges.
The Independent Group has exercised considerable influence in the appointment of judges to the supreme or judicial branch, particularly the High Courts, and its latest victory potentially strengthens its position to do so.
On the other hand, the Professional Group, in line with the PTI and a strong critic of the two constitutional amendments, failed to secure a majority in the PBC poll. Although the group did well in provincial bar council elections, its momentum did not translate into success at the national level.
A member of the professional group said that shortly after the provincial council elections, the group was well placed to secure a majority in the PBC. However, he claimed that the government used its influence over members of the provincial bar council to sway support for the PBC election.
However, members of the Independent Group rejected claims of government interference. They said their managers, Ahsan Bhoon and Azam Nazeer Tarar, remain available to bar members and are actively addressing their concerns. “Our group believes in the welfare of the bar and this is the key to success,” said a member of the group.
Meanwhile, senior lawyers have expressed jubilation over the election of renowned lawyer Barrister Salahuddin Ahmed to the PBC.
Salahuddin, who belongs to the Professional Group, is widely recognized as a vocal advocate of judicial independence and the rule of law.
It is worth noting that Barrister Salahuddin Ahmed has acted as counsel for Justice Qazi Faez Isa and six Islamabad High Court judges and is currently representing the Supreme Court Press Association in a suo motu case on protection of journalists.
