Suo motu notice: Ombudsperson given last chance to engage counsel

Abbasey had issued arrest warrants for a senior judge


Our Correspondent June 22, 2016
Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave Federal Ombudsperson for Protection against Harassment of Women at Workplace Yasmin Abbasey the last opportunity to engage another counsel in suo motu notice against her.

Chief Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali has taken suo motu notice of an arrest warrant issued by the federal Ombudsperson for a senior judge of the Lahore High Court.

Abbasey had issued a warrant for the arrest of Justice Mansoor Ali Shah one day after she tendered an unconditional apology to the judge for her ‘contemptuous’ conduct.

Justice (retd) Abbasey had hired the services of former Attorney General Irfan Qadir whose licence was annulled by the Supreme Court. She filed for a review petition to engage another counsel.

The three-judge bench of the apex court headed by CJP Jamali observed that the ombudsperson was avoiding giving a reply to the notice.

Appearing in person, Abbasey pleaded the bench to take up her review petition before proceeding further on the suo motu notice. She said instead of the judges of the top court, the registrar had dismissed her review petition without hearing it which was a violation of the Supreme Court’s rules.

During the hearing, the chief justice asked Abbasey under what authority she had issued notice to the chief justice of the Lahore High Court. Instead of replying to the query she asked the bench to take up her review petition on the suo motu notice.

However, Justice Jamali started dictating the order, which said; “She [Justice (retd) Abbasey] is avoiding suo motu on the pretext that she wanted to engage a counsel. As a last chance one week is given to her for submitting (a) reply.”

After the order, Justice Abbasey said: “Justice is buried. You (are) not listening to me.” She asked under what authority the registrar had passed the order on the review petition, which should have been heard by judges. According to the Supreme Court rules, Abbasey said, the registrar has no authority to pass an order.

The hearing is adjourned till July 13.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 22nd, 2016.

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