IHC bar demands resignations from federal, Punjab govts

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) has demanded resignations from the federal and Punjab government, ARY News reported on Monday.  

“The incumbent government has brought a storm of inflation which has increased the burden on the people of Pakistan,” the IHCBA said in a statement, demanding resignation from federal and Punjab governments,

The IHCBA demanded to abolish incentives, free petrol and the protocol of government officials. “A ban should be imposed on officials visiting abroad on government’s expenditure,” he said, criticising the government for dropping electricity, gas and petrol bombs in a span of two weeks.

Meanwhile, the Executive Committee has authorised the IHCBA President to challenge the illegal orders. The IHC bar association has opposed the transfer of officials involved in the investigation or prosecution of high-profile corruption cases.

It also hailed the Supreme Court’s decision to take suo motu notice regarding the alleged government interference in the affairs of prosecution as well as investigation branches in high-profile cases.

The IHC bar association also condemned the arrest of lawyers in Lahore and police violence during Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) Azadi March.

Earlier in May, the Supreme Court of Pakistan barred the government from the transfer of investigation officers in high-profile cases of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Umar Ata Bandial issued the directives in a suo motu notice which he took against the perceived interference of the government office-bearers in the criminal justice system of the country.

During the hearing, CJP Justice Umar Ata Bandial while leading the proceedings of the suo moto case said that the DG FIA barred an investigation officer from appearing before the court.

“We want to learn regarding the removal of the prosecutor,” he said and added that the previous DG FIA Sanaullah Abbasi, who was removed from his post, was a reputed officer while Dr. Rizwan was also replaced and later died after suffering from a cardiac arrest.