Vision of the General Secretary for the Islamabad Bar Association

On Tuesday, February 20, 2023, Advocate Hassan Javed, General Secretary of Islamabad Bar Association was invited to the ‘Dialogue with Experts’ program hosted by Advocate Zaildar Ahsan Shah at FM 101, Radio Pakistan.

Mr. Zaildar Ahsan Shah firstly thanked him for his appearance in the show which he replied by saying it is an honor for him to be in the show which is conducted by Mr. Zaildar Ahsan Shah. Afterward, Mr. Zaildar Ahsan Shah congratulated him for winning the election in the Islamabad Bar Association as the General Secretary with a remarkable lead.

Mr. Zaildar Ahsan Shah then asked him about his educational background and journey in law now leading up to his current role as the Secretary-General of the Islamabad Bar Association. He answered, I belong to District Gujrat and received my early education in the village of Bania before moving to Islamabad. After moving to Islamabad I completed my higher education in Islamabad which also includes my degree in LLB which I completed in 2008 after that, I pursued my LLM in Human Rights Law, and both degrees I acquired from the Islamic International University Islamabad. Eventually in 2013, after a lot of hard work and consistent struggle, I became successful in acquiring the status of an advocate of the High Court of Islamabad.

Mr. Zaildar Ahsan Shah asked him, how did you decide to contest this election? What was your motivation behind this decision? In answer to that, he said that During 40 years there was no specific or exclusive place to be considered the judicial or lawyer complex. During these 40 years, the courts system was established in F8 Markaz. After 40 years in 2023, a judicial complex was built in Islamabad, which was located in Sector G-11. Before its inception, there was no place to be considered a judicial or lawyer complex which was a matter of huge concern. But after the transfer of systems from one location to another brought a lot of challenges which included limitations of infrastructure, space, and possibly other operational constraints that affect the lawyers’ work environment. The district court is established, but the lawyers do not have proper chambers to meet with their clients. They don’t have a proper setup, and the lawyer community and litigants face many difficulties here. Because of these problems, there was a lot of tension raised in the lawyer community which ultimately was affecting the productivity and efficiency of the bar association. In these circumstances, I decided to raise my concerns and fight for my community in the best possible way, so I decided to contest the election. Because as part of the lawyers community, I understand very well that in order to work in your best capacity a Lawyer needs an environment where they can stand as a bar. And it was high time to enroll myself in elections and carve the way out for my community. Eventually, by the Grace of Allah and with the support of my friends I secured the victory with a distinguished lead as you all have witnessed.

Later on Mr. Zaildar Ahsan Shah inquired about his experience of contesting the elections. He asked him about his whole journey, the highs and lows that he faced during the campaign of elections, and the level of youth involvement as well. In response to that, he stated, his lead was very evident from the start because his support group for these elections was very strong and evident. he further explained his experience by saying, When I announced my candidacy, I received support from my colleagues, whether senior or young lawyers especially. Their active participation brought fresh perspectives and energy to the election process. By the grace of Allah, I garnered the support of senior members, as evidenced by the majority of my nomination papers being signed by both seniors and young lawyers. This collective effort, with the help of my colleagues, has led me to the position of General Secretary of the Islamabad Bar Association.

Mr. Zaildar Ahsan Shah asked him about his vision behind contesting the elections and how he will make full use of his position in solving the problems of the Islamabad Bar Association in the available tenure of one year. In response to his question, he replied During my campaign whenever I got a chance to speak about my vision regarding Islamabad Bar Association I have always emphasized that compared to all other associations. Islamabad Bar Association is a bit different bar association. As it is located in the capital the avenue, the scope of opportunities and worth is much more than any other association. It also offers a diversified legal framework that encompasses a holistic approach to solving problems. Islamabad Bar Association is the hub of multiple opportunities that foster collective and individual growth Lastly he concluded his answer by explaining his vision related to Islamabad Bar Association by saying that he is aiming to establish a strong Islamabad Bar. He answered, I always strive for the unity of the Bar and advocate for respect within the legal community. I promise to obtain funds from the government to construct chambers, and then distribute them. I will arrange a training program focused on the well-being of lawyers, treating my colleagues at the Bar as family members. I am committed to giving my best effort to the Bar, regardless of whether they have voted for me or they are not I will work for everyone. I will work diligently to serve every individual within the legal profession. I strive to fulfill all these requirements within the Islamabad Bar, which will bring pride to those associated with it. I aspire to empower young lawyers and provide committees to them. In Islamabad, there is exposure for all lawyers like Nab Court and Civil Court. Additionally, I intend to establish sitting places for lawyers for their day-to-day affairs.

In his concluding remarks, Mr. Zaildar Ahsan Shah extended his congratulations once again to him for winning the election as General Secretary. He expressed his hopes that he would fulfill the goals set forth for the role and commended their decision to serve as General Secretary, wishing them success in accomplishing all their objectives.