Lawyers, judges square off at Sessions Court

Two sides almost engage in brawl as disagreement escalates.


Rana Yasif February 09, 2012

LAHORE:


Judges at the Sessions Court boycotted their work on Thursday after one of their colleagues almost came to blows with a lawyer over scheduling and groups of lawyers and judges squared up to each other.


The ugly scenes came at the hearing of a post-arrest bail plea in a murder case. On Wednesday, Advocate Sheikh Saleem had filed a letter of attorney for Junaid Afzal, the complainant in the case. Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) Muhammad Sheraz Kiani scheduled arguments on the plea for the next day, Thursday.

At the onset of proceedings at around 11.30am, the advocate shouted at the judge, asking why he had not been granted more time to prepare the case, said witnesses including court staffers and other lawyers. “Have you accepted a bribe?” he said to the judge.

Judge Kiani told the lawyer to mind his tongue. Saleem responded with further abuse. As the quarrel heated up, Saleem suggested they take the matter outside. The judge stood up, removed his robe and flung it at the stenographer. “Why go outside? Let’s fight here,” Kiani said, rolling up his sleeves and walking towards the lawyer. He also told a staffer to lock the door. A staffer locked the door while others tried to calm the judge and stop the two from coming to blows. Meanwhile, Saleem took out his phone and started calling colleagues, telling them there would be a fight. The judge too called his colleagues to his retiring room.

Soon, 20 lawyers had assembled at the courtroom and four or five judges in the retiring room. The lawyers demanded that Kiani hand himself over. ADSJ Muhammad Tahir Khan Niazi sought to pacify the lawyers and was met with abuse, and he too flared up. The other judges dragged him back into the retiring room. The lawyers also did a body search on a policeman whom they accused of pushing Saleem.

District and Sessions Judge Mujahid Mustaqeem Ahmed and Lahore Bar Association President Chaudhry Zulfiqar Ali eventually arrived at the scene and sought to resolve the situation. The judges later held a meeting in Judge Mustaqeem Ahmed’s chambers. They later retired to their chambers and there were no further proceedings in any courtroom.

The LBA president said that harsh words had been exchanged in the courtroom, but the matter had been resolved. A source close to Judge Kiani also said that the matter had been settled, but did not say how. The murder case, meanwhile, has been referred to the district and sessions judge.

Speaking to The Express Tribune, Saleem denied abusing the judge. He said he had not been given enough time to prepare his case. He said the judge should be transferred.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 10th, 2012.

COMMENTS (1)

S khan | 12 years ago | Reply

Long live independent Judicary , which is manifested by the behavior of two important organs of judical system.

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