5% lawyers giving bad name to rest: IHC CJ

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice (CJ) Athar Minallah termed the hooliganism of lawyers on Tuesday a disgrace for the entire legal fraternity as well as an attack on the judiciary itself.

He shared these views in a session on Wednesday after the resumption of court activities.

He added that he was held hostage for three and a half hours. “This was not an attack on me, but on the judiciary itself,” the CJ remarked while commenting on the hooliganism witnessed at and outside the court premises.

“I could have taken action, but preferred to remain confined to my chamber,” he stated, adding that if he had taken action, he would have been blamed for ordering a crackdown on members of the legal fraternity. Justice Minallah mentioned that only five percent of those who had launched an onslaught against IHC and other courts on Monday were lawyers; the rest of the 95 percent were professional advocates.

Making it clear that no one is above the law, including himself, he said the law would take its course. “There would be no compromise on the sanctity of the court,” he stated. Lawyers present on the occasion said they felt ashamed at the conduct of members of their community.

Deputy Attorney General Syed Tayyab Shah said he and other lawyers regretted the acts of vandalism by members of the legal fraternity. When Advocate Mian Abdur Rauf assured Justice Minallah that such an incident would never occur again, the CJ replied that it would only be possible when the elements who took law into their own hands were made an example of for others.

“This court expects Bar Council to take action against those behind this incident,” the CJ hoped. When Rauf said he would ensure those behind this attack were also identified, Justice Minallah said he strongly disagreed with the opinion that some other elements were linked to the incident.

“These were our own people who brought shame to us and the institution,” he asserted. Meanwhile, the lawyers of the federal capital on Monday had forcibly shut down the High Court and district courts after their chambers were bulldozed by the anti-encroachment staff on Sunday. However, all courts in the federal capital resumed proceedings on Wednesday after the lawyers’ attack on IHC.

As per details, the IHC, District Courts, and Special Courts resumed working after two days. It was learnt that contingent security arrangements had been ensured for all courts and entry of unauthorised persons had been banned.

The lawyers appeared before the courts on behalf of litigants despite a strike announced by IHCBA and the District Bar Association.

Furthermore, the IHC issued contempt of court notices to additional 12 lawyers involved in the ransacking of the court on Monday. Earlier, contempt of court notices had been issued to 17 lawyers and now the tally has jumped to 29.

The court has fixed the hearing against 17 lawyers involved in the IHC attack and sought responses from them within seven days while the remaining have been summoned on February 18. As per the notice issued by the registrar's office, a special bench will conduct the hearing of the contempt of court case.

"You had attacked the court along with the gang, hindered the court proceeding, hence, committed contempt of court and are liable to punishment awarded as per Article 204 of the 1973 constitution, contempt of court ordinance 2003 section (3) and (4),” the bench remarked.