Justice Rana takes oath as SAC Chief Judge, angry students and political workers raise slogans against appointment
Muhammad Ali Akhtar and Manzoor Bagoro oppose appointment
Asim Iqbal
Islamabad, February 7: New Chief Judge of supreme Appellate Court Gilgit Baltistan, Rana Arshad Khan, took oath of his office in a simple ceremony held at GB House in Islamabad amid strong protests by students and political workers against his appointment.
Governer GB Pir Karam Ali Shah administered oath to the Chief Judge. Chief Minister Mehdi Shah, Provincial Ministers, Chief Secretary, members of Legislative Assembly, members of GB Council, Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Mian Manzor Wattoo and other high civil officials attented the ceremony.
Workers of different political parties, including Pakistan Peoples Party, People Students Federation and some nationalist groups, staged a demonstration against the appointment of non-local judge in the region.
The protesters, under the leadership of Manzoor Bagoro, Adviser to Chief Minister and a senior leader of PPP Gilgit – Baltistan gathered in the bulding of Gilgit Baltistan House and chanted slogans against the government.
Terming the appointment of new Chief Judge “illegal, unjust and against the Self Governance Order(SGO) 2009”, Bagoro said that according to the SGO the senior most judge should have been appointed as Chief of Supreme Appellate Court. He maintained that the government had voilated the law.
“People of Gilgit Baltistan cannot tolerate the violation of their rights and a protest movement will be launched if senior most judge of Appellate Court is not elevated to the office of Chief Judge, repealing the non-local judge”, Bagoro said.
Addressing to the protesters Provincial Finance Minister Muhammad Ali Akhter assured that federal government would be apprised of their concerns. Akhtar said that protest was right as the appointment of a non-local judge was injustice with Gilgit-Baltistan. He said that if government did not pay any attention to the demand of people, members of assembly would tender resignations.
Mean while lawyers bodies have announced to boycott the court procedings across Gilgit Baltistan and launched protest movement.
A general body meeting of Supreme Appellate Court Bar Assosiation was held in Gilgit president Ehsan Ali Advocate presided over the meeting and after deliberate consideration a unanimous resolution was passed. Terming the appointment of new Chief Judge as unjust and illegal, the lawyers expressed grave concerns over the situation and said that provincial government had failed to protect the rights of the region. They demanded of the government to review its decision.
“President and Chief Justice of Pakistan should take notice of the situation and new chief judge should be replced by a competent judge” they requested.
High Court Bar Assosiation has also endorsed the resolution and announced to take part in the protest movement.
The appointment of Rana Arshad Khan as chief judge in supreme appellate court, Gilgit-Baltistan, is illegal & un-ethical in the sense that he is a retired judge & a PCO oath taker.The appointing authority has taken a very wrong dicision while appointing a judge from out side GB.A competent person from GB can be appointed as chief judge for this vacant post,otherwise,a senior judge of supreme court can be asserted.
As a founder member of Pakistan People’s Party, I request the president of Paistan to review this dicision and respect the aspirations & emotions of the brave people of GB. I would remind Mr.Asif Ali Zardari that Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto when visited GB in 1970s and granted thousands of jobs to GBeans only.He announced that each post higher or lower would filled with local people in accordance to their elegibality and thus thousands of people got jobs.In this way he gave the self respect to the paople of this region.
I would like to remind the viewers & readers of Pamir Times that uptill now no authority or institution could define the real status of Gilgit-Baltistan.Whether it is the integral part of Pakistan or Kashmir.Whether it is a disputed territory or occupied by some external force.
One thing is clear that the people of this region are true muslims.They respect Pakistan because of its muslim entity.After the war of independence in 1948 the people of GB announced their affiliation with Pakistan unconditionally,although not a single stick as an instrument of war was received from Pakistan during the war against Mahraja of Kashmir backed by Indian forces.
By considering the importance of geostrategic position of GB, the Authorities of Pakistan should find the best out of worse.
Jehangir Shah
Lahore.
Appointment of a controversial man from Lahore as chief judge of Gilgit-Baltistan is the last piece of injustices with the locals since 1947… now we… 2.8 million people of GB are awaken for the denied rights… and no one can stop us from getting our constitutional rights… we want the 5th constitutional province in GB and representation in the Parliament… go on my dear and brave GBians… sher ki aik din ki zindagi gidadh kay 100 saql say behtar hay… GB zindabad, Pakistan payindabad!
Some of us will accept the decision and some will deny it but the question is why? only because new chief judge is not from GB? we all need to work as a nation rather than individuals. Lets hope and pray the new change will bring more prosperity and justice to the province of GB.
GB zindabad and pakistan paindabaad..!!!!
WELL, THE PRESENT GOVT OF ZARDARI AND GILLANI HAVE CROSSED ALL LEVELS OF CORRUPTIONS EVEN THEY DID NOT SPARE THE APPINTMENTS IN THE HIGHEST JUDICIARY, WHERE THE AGENTS OF THE PRESENT GOVT OPENLY BID THE POSITIONS WHO EVER SUCCEEDS IN BIDDING WOULD BE ABLE TO GET A JOB IN THE HIGHTEST JUDICIARY.
THE APPOINTMENT OF PRESENT CHIEF JUSTICE IN GB GOVT IS A PROOF OF THE MISDEEDS BEING DONE BY THE PRESENT GOVT.
THE SCRIBE IS ALSO A STRONG CANDIDATE FOR THE POSITION i.e. JUDGE EITHER IN THE CH8IEF COURT OR SUPREME APPELLATE COURT. BUT THE APPATHY OF THE GOVT IS SEEN THAT THE SCRIBE IS A HIGHLY QUALIFIED HOLDING DOUBLE MASTER IN LAW AS WELL, M.A. LL,M AND HAVING MORE THAN 17 YEARS STANDING AT HIGH COURT LEVEL THUS ELIGIBLE TO BE APPOINTED AS JUDGE OF ANY HIGH COURT. BELONG TO NORTHEN AREAS THE SCRIBE WHILE FEELING COMPETENT ENOUGH APPLIED BUT HIS APPLICATION THROWN TO A DUST BIN BECAUSE OF RELUCTANT TO OFFER BRIBE.
NOW ONE ARCHAIC BUREAUCRAT HAS BEEN APPOINTED AS ASST. REGISTRAR SUPREME APPELLATE COURT, ALTHOUGH THERE IS CLEAR VERDICT ABOUT BAN ON APPOINTMENT OF RETIRE PERSONNEL BUT NO PROBLEM UNLESS THE CHAMPIONS OF CORRUPTIONS ARE THERE EVERY THING IS POSSIBLE.
I REQUEST THE CHIEF JUSTICE IFTIKHAR MOHD.CHOUDRY TO INTERVENE IN THE MATTER AND SHOULD TAKE SUO MOTU ACTION AGAINST ALL THOSE WHO ARE INVOLVED IN THIS SCAM.
TAQDIR ALI KHAN ADVOCATE
LEGAL COUNSEL
THE DAWN MEDIA GROUP,
KARACHI.
0300-2767789
Make me understand why the authorities are appointing office of the chief judge from outside GB..
it is illegal and unconstitutional and as well as against Self empowerment of GB 2009…