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" REVIEW OF THE LAHORE HIGH COURT JUDGMENT REVIEW OF THE LAHORE HIGH COURT JUDGMENT IN THE CASE OF FAROOQ AHMED V. FEDERATION OF PAKISTAN IN WRIT PETITION NO.20654 OF 2002 REPORTED AS PLD 2005 Lah. 15   By   Dr. Faqir Hussain, Secretary, Law & Justice Commission of Pakistan   The Lahore High Court in a landmark judgment delivered on 6 December, 2004 struck down the Juvenile Justice Ordinance, 2000 (hereinafter referred to as Ordinance). The verdict was given on a writ petition titled, `Farooq Ahmed v. Federation of Pakistan'. Having scrutinised the various provisions of the Ordinance, the Court came to the conclusion that the Ordinance is defective in drafting, impracticable, unreasonable and unconstitutional, hence void. Strangely though, some clauses escaped judicial scrutiny and yet received mortal blow.   Inadequate Legal Assistance   The hearing in the case lasted 8 days during the course of 3 years from 18 December, 2002 to 22 November, 2004. Perusal of the judgment reveals that the Court was unable to get adequate legal assistance. It was needed though, in keeping with the critical issues involved and the importance of the case. The Court in its traditional restrained manner and polite style expressed its dismay at the inability of some lawyers to assist the Court. Two prominent senior lawyers and known human rights activists were appointed as amicus curiae in the case, but failed to appear regularly. Notices were also served on the Attorney-General for Pakistan and Advocate-General, Punjab. The former was represented by a Deputy Attorney-General, who also represented the Federation and the later by an Assistant Advocate-General. The Deputy Attorney-General argued in support of the Ordinance whereas, the Assistant Advocate-General,…