Lawyers in PoGB continue strike, demand appointment of judges and legal reforms

Gilgit [PoGB] August 19 : Lawyers throughout Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan have maintained their extended strike, which commenced in November 2024, seeking judicial appointments, land reform, and restructuring of institutions. This protest has now reached its tenth month, disrupting legal processes and leaving countless litigants in uncertainty.

Advocate Sher Alam, Vice President of the Supreme Appellate Court Bar and a member of the Diamer Bar Association, stated that the strike was originally initiated to advocate for the appointment of judges in the Supreme Appellate Court and Chief Court, the enforcement of the Land Reform Act, and the division of the offices of Advocate General and Prosecutor General. He noted that since 2011, the Supreme Appellate Court had determined that each lawyer would be granted one acre of land, yet the government has not acted on this, making it a crucial aspect of the lawyers' campaign as well.

Currently, the Supreme Appellate Court of Gilgit-Baltistan, the region's highest legal authority, has only a Chief Justice, with two other judicial positions vacant for years. Lawyers argue that this has resulted in over 11,000 cases remaining unresolved, including significant appeals where individuals have already completed their sentences but are still waiting for verdicts. "The Supreme Appellate Court lacks the necessary quorum, and without three judges, achieving justice has become impossible. Urgent cases are accumulating, leaving litigants in despair," Sher Alam stated.

Lawyers recalled that in November 2024, a delegation had presented their requests to the Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan, who issued orders for their resolution. However, none of the relevant departments carried out these directives, prompting bar councils and associations to escalate their demonstrations. They initially conducted strikes at the district level on August 11, 12, and 13 this year, before resolving to bring their protests to the Chief Minister's office starting August 18, warning that they would persist until their demands were addressed.

The ongoing strike has halted the judicial system in PoGB, leaving regular litigants without options. Sher Alam acknowledged that the lawyers are among those most affected, as many rely on daily earnings. "The greatest impact has been on us, the lawyers, who depend on daily wages. For ten months, we have endured hardship and hunger, all to advocate for public issues and justice," he expressed.

With no family, civil, or rent-specific courts operational in the area, civil judges are obliged to manage over a hundred cases daily, resulting in significant delays. Lawyers contend that there is an urgent need for the establishment of special courts, including labour, consumer, rent, and family courts, to alleviate the backlog and provide timely justice.

Affirming that the strike will continue "quietly yet resolutely," lawyers warned that should the government continue to overlook their demands, they will ramp up protests throughout PoGB. "The government must understand that when lawyers mobilise, they instigate change. Our demands are not for personal gain; they reflect the needs of the people. Until these matters are addressed, our movement will endure," declared Sher Alam.

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