PESHAWAR: Lawyers across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa boycotted court proceedings on Wednesday to protest the government’s decision to remove the mandatory two-year legal practice requirement for the appointment of civil judges.
The strike was called by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council, prompting lawyers throughout the province to abstain from appearing before courts, disrupting routine judicial work.
Members of the legal fraternity said the experience requirement was a key safeguard to ensure competence, professionalism and merit in the lower judiciary. They warned that allowing fresh law graduates to compete for civil judge posts could weaken judicial standards.
Protesting lawyers termed the decision unjustified and damaging, arguing that courtroom experience was essential for judges tasked with adjudicating complex legal disputes and managing trials.
They said the two-year practice condition had been introduced after consultations between the KP Bar Council and the Peshawar High Court, and alleged that the latest changes were implemented without seeking input from either body.
Lawyers also raised concerns about transparency, claiming the revised recruitment rules could open the door to preferential treatment and undermine confidence in the judicial appointment process.
Bar leaders said the protest would continue until the decision was reviewed, warning that any compromise on merit would have long-term consequences for the justice system.
