Woman judge rejects lawyer’s ‘apology’

Civil Judge Najia Batool says the lawyer threatened her with death.

LAHORE:

A civil judge refused on Thursday to withdraw a misconduct reference against a lawyer, who helped by some colleagues, allegedly locked her court room and verbally abused her on Wednesday. The incident took place after the judge dismissed the lawyer’s suit for non-payment of process fee.

A court employee told The Express Tribune that several notable lawyers approached the judge to request that she pardon the lawyer but the judge had said that the lawyers involved had not tendered proper apology. Civil judge Najia Batool stated when that she would not withdraw the reference of misconduct against Choudhary Sajad Tabassam.

Lahore Bar Association (LBA) president Shehzad Hassan Shaikh said that the lawyers had some reservations about the behavior of the judge but the matter had been resolved. “Judges should cooperate with lawyers. We met with her and told her that she was being far too strict and that she ought to resolve the matter,” he said.

Judge Batool said that the lawyers had tried to lock her in her own court room but she managed to escape and took shelter in the retiring room of a colleague.

“The lawyers followed me and started hurling insults at me. Such behavior is unacceptable,” she said.  The incident occurred on Wednesday, after Advocate Choudhary Sajad Tabassum learnt that she had dismissed his application for restoration of a suit for not paying the process fee. Tabassum then made telephone calls to some colleagues to assemble in the court room and help him pressure the judge.

Judge Batool told Tabassum that his application had been dismissed in accordance with the law and that he should file an appeal at the proper forum. “Judge Batool responded to the advocates in a very polite manner but he insulted her,” a court employee said. “He said ‘Who made you a judge? You think you are a judge of Supreme Court even though you know nothing about the law’. He also threatened her life,” he said.

Following Tabassum’s phone call, 20 lawyers entered the court and criticised the judge. The lawyers also tried to lock the judge in her own court room but she managed to leave and enter, Judge Ayesha Khalid’s chambers in an adjacent court. The lawyers followed her there and threatened her with dire consequences.

Tabassum was the counsel for Ghulam Mustafa, who had filed a petition against Lahore Electric Supply Company (Lesco) officials. The petitioner contended that he had two electricity connections (No 07135404458004 U and 35404458022 U). He said the meter reader had asked him Rs1,000 and promised that the amount of his bills would then be reduced every month. When the complainant declined the offer, he says, the meter reader threatened to disconnect power.

Tabassum denied that he had threatened the judge. He said he had requested that the court restore the suit but the judge had dismissed his application.

“There was no use for abusive language at the scene,” he said. When asked whether he had called his colleagues and attempted to lock up Judge Batool, he declined to comment.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 12^th, 2011.