![judicial propriety pti s message of support to judge seen as inappropriate judicial propriety pti s message of support to judge seen as inappropriate](https://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/358378-PTILogo-1333317696.jpg)
Legal experts have criticised banners put up on city roads conveying the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s congratulations to a Lahore High Court judge upon his elevation, saying it could cast doubt on his impartiality.
“On behalf of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, we congratulate Mr Abdul Sami Khan on becoming a justice of the High Court,” read the banners, one of which was installed near Shahdara Station on GT Road three days ago.
The banners were sponsored by PTI Additional General Secretary Lahore and organiser for PP-137 Engineer Yasif Gilani, and PP-137 executive committee member Abdul Manan. However, a PTI Central Executive Committee member sought to distance the party from the banners, saying they were not officially sponsored.
Legal experts said that such banners were usually put up for politicians and this was the first time they had seen congratulatory advertisements for a judge. They said the banners would make people think of the judge as loyal to the party, which would be improper for a judge.
Lawyers
Former federal law minister SM Masood said lawyers could support any party they liked, but once they were elevated to the bench, they were supposed to be non-partisan and non-political figures. “By installing such banners, the PTI is saying that they favour Justice Khan and the judge favours them,” he said. “It would be appropriate for the judge to distance himself from the banners to maintain his dignity and impartiality.”
Justice Ibadur Rehman Lodhi, Justice Shujaat Ali Khan, Justice Ayesha A Malik and Justice Shaikh Shahid Waheed were also sworn in as LHC judges for one year on March 27, along with Justice Abdul Sami Khan. Masood said that by singling out just one judge for congratulations, the banners gave the impression of a special relationship between them.
Lahore High Court Bar Association President Shahram Sarwar Chaudhry, asked to comment on the banners, said he was “astonished” by them. “A judge has to make decisions on cases from all parties and sects. He must be beyond any party affiliation,” he said.
He said it would be wrong to condemn the judge, as he may not have had anything to do with the banners. “Only the PTI workers know why they installed it. They should know such messages are reserved for politicians or holders of government offices, not constitutional offices,” he said.
Supreme Court Bar Association President Yasin Azad said the banners were “below the dignity of a High Court judge”. He said that this was the first time he had heard of such an incident in his 40 years of legal practice.
“Lawyers even consider it defamatory to install such banners for those elected as bar representatives,” he said, adding that after he was elected president of the SCBA, a member of the executive committee sponsored banners congratulating him on his win. “Many senior lawyers insulted him and compelled him to remove the banners,” he said.
Azad said that the bar association had already expressed reservations over the elevation of the five judges. He said the issue should be highlighted.
PTI
Abdul Manan, one of the sponsors of the banners, said that he had set them up on behalf of his party. He said that Justice Khan was from his constituency and that’s why they felt the need to congratulate him. He said Justice Khan was not and had never been a member of the PTI, but his nephews Mazhar Khan and Ali Khan were active members. He added that there were 17 male members of the judge’s family who were eligible to vote.
He said the banners were not meant to portray the judge as partial to the PTI, but to show “the party’s appreciation for impartial personalities and to convince them to remain firm on merit”. He said local leaders of the PTI went to the residence of Justice Khan and congratulated him after his elevation. He said they were also planning to invite him to give a talk about merit.
Advocate Ahmad Awais, a PTI Central Executive Committee member, said the banners were inappropriate and they did not have the party’s official sanction. He said he would take up the matter with the party leadership so there was no repeat in the future. He said that the Lahore High Court should take note of the matter.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 2nd, 2012.
Correction: An earlier version of this story mentioned the SCBA President as Yasif Azad instead of Yasin Azad. The error has been rectified.
COMMENTS (20)
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He said Justice Khan was not and had never been a member of the PTI, but his nephews Mazhar Khan and Ali Khan were active members.
Hope the judge recuses himself from any case involving political parties to avoid conflict of interest.
out of all the good that PTI is doing all around the country, ET found this news piece worth publishing on their front page of main website. wow..lol
Many judges have been appointed but talking about only one of them as a fair and honest is insulting to the rest. Dragging a sitting judge into politics is the worst example of of bias especially when all his family belong to that party. Even in Pakistani judicial history it is a new low and the judge himself should come out and condemn this defamation by PTI. Hoping that PTI would do that is not going to happen.
we are with pti
Let PTI celeberate and enjoy. Atleast they found someething to congratulate each other. So far they have only seen defeats, resignations and boycott.
@Falcon:
true, but isnt that not unique to PTI? why should the PTI get a pass? werent a lot of actions of president musharrafs turned from mole hills into mountains?
IK has repeatedly called for WITHDRAWING from the War "Of' Terror, rather than only blocking the supplies for the same. And I remember him saying the same in a recent show (don't remember which). People should keep themselves updated...though I do think PTI should take out a press release or Dr. Shirin Mazari should hold a Press Conference for the same as it is a hot issue right now...
I think PTI supporters don't need to clear their stance to every person every time...if they are not aware of current affairs, issues, solutions & stances of different parties on those issues then its their own fault...
Bravo0o cheema saeed n democrat. these N n PP beneficries need a serious mind upgradtion
Imran Khan is only person who is saying to get out of this war including supply line.
Kabhi Taliban Khan kehte ho, kabhi kutch.
@cheema And the style of your argument is typical PTI. Evade the question and blame the Sharifs for everything that is wrong with this world.
@Pakistan Politics...
i wonder where are you living? you watch any TV or read any paper? IK gave a 2 day dharna in peshawar against NATO supplies and drones, and the official position of PTI is that the supply should not be restored... give me your personal mob number so that in the future, IK text you his comments on anything you want....but alas, people like you are still fooled by ch.nisar and PML(Laptop) ... after ruling for 4 years, they will burn a few properties and innocent people and people like you would say oh look PML(Laptop) is the real opposition...and you would vote for them and then the same cycle continues...wake up...
SCBA President is Mr. Yasin Azad and not Mr. Yasif Azad. Please correct in para 9 of the above story. Thanks.
@Pakistan politics: The style of your argument is typically "Muslim Leegi" we are hearing since the birth of "Muslim Leeeg Noon & Qaaaf" from the womb of "General Zia". For Example: 1- Why is He Silent Now? 2- Why is He Speaking Now? 3- Why People Should Vote a Party Who is not Winning? 4- Why a Women should Lead the Nation? (Until our own daughters are grown-up) 5- All politicians are corrupt therefore we, the sons of Sharif, have the right to rule the nation because we are less corrupt. 6- Our Votes are being stolen by ....bla bla bla bla and even PPPP.
GIVE US A BREAK DEAR..... IF U DONT KNOW THE STANCE OF PTI IT DOES NOT MEAN THAT PTI DOES NOT HAVE ANY STANCE.
chill out
@Pakistan politics....I think you are not reading news papers or watching the TV shows these dayas...dont expect ET to give the stance of PTI on nato supplies on tehre front page as they did with this news...IK and PTI are the one who have clearly mentioned the point of view of not allowing NATO supplies..its PPP and PMLN who dont have any idea what to do and throwing ball at each other..
I have a question to PTI supporters why Imran khan is silent over the resumption of NATO supplies, who asked him to not speak about this matter of grave concern, every single political party is presenting its stance but y PTI is silent, neither giving any suggestions nor presented any demands, and when the supplies will be restored with the consent of all political parties except PTI, khan will start whining.
I m not talking about what Imran did in past and who spoke publicly against drones or etc, I m asking whats the secret of his silence at this crucial time?
OMG is this the news worth of coming on the front page of ET website..whats going on here...a local PTI news also catches the eye of big news papers and that is also if there is some thing to bash PTI...I cant believe this..
This judge should excuse himself from all future cases involving PTI.
@falcon those some are 90% of PTI members as whatever the decision PTI top leadership makes, whole lot of PTI members defend it by spamming comments section of every website.
Is this even worthy of a news? Some PTI members went over-board in seeing a judge appointed on merit and they are congratulating him. Other PTI members disagree with the idea and discourage it. Why are we trying to make a mountain out of a mole-hill?