"The decision on such an important issue is arbitrary and discriminatory and lacks transparency," states the petition filed by Pakistan Bar Council's Raheel Kamran Sheikh. The petition also stated that the LHC's decision discriminates against members of the legal fraternity practicing in Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Dera Ghazi Khan, Sargodha and Sahiwal.
It undermines their professional prospects as they have to travel long distances to practice or migrate to cities where the high court is located, added the petition.
During the last month, different district bar associations have gone on strike, severely affecting the dispensation of justice. Some elements in the Bar have resorted to violence against the refusal to establish new benches in Faisalabad, Gujranwala, Sargodha, Dera Ghazi Khan and Sahiwal, threatening and intimidating the district administration, damaging property and locking courtrooms.