Misconduct: LHC bench formed to hear misconduct case

Family court judge had filed a complaint against a lawyer.

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) chief justice has constituted a three-member bench to hear a misconduct complaint filed against a lawyer by a woman judge.

The three-member bench, consisting of Justice Muhammad Anwaarul Haq, Justice Atir Mahmood and Justice Shahid Bilal Hassan, has summoned the lawyer to appear before them on June 24. The complaint has been filed by Judge Shagufta Shafiq against Advocate Mehar Ahsan.

In her complaint, the family court judge has stated that on April 15, 2016, Ahsan appeared before the court to plead the case titled: Zobia Mehnaz vs Mohsin Javed. “He not only misbehaved, but also abused [the judge]. The lawyer threatened the court with dire consequences and said that he would throw the judge off her chair,” the complaint stated.

“We are all responsible for maintaining the decorum of the court and to restore the independence of judiciary. It is, therefore, requested that the licence of the lawyer be cancelled and an FIR be registered against him,” the complaint said.

Requesting anonymity, a court official said that the LHC had sought a report about the incident from District and Sessions Judge Nazir Ahmad Gajana. “In his report, Gajana said that Ahsan’s conduct had been inappropriate. A similar complaint was filed against Ahsan by another judge,” the official said.

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