In a press release, Jehangir said that courts must not threat lawyers for valid opinions that they hold. She added her law practice was not granted to her in a “lottery” which could be grabbed from her through any threats.
The lawyer said that there was no law that allowed a commission to suspend her license and her grievance had precisely been that judges must speak through their judgements and within the parameter of the law.
“Which law grants judges the power to suspend people’s livelihoods because of their legitimate comments on the procedure of a commission?” she questioned.
She also challenged Advocate Bhutta to advise his clients to file contempt proceedings against her rather than making pleas before the commission without filing any such petition.
She said she was prepared to defend herself but would not be admonished into losing her right of free expression.
COMMENTS (12)
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Asma is 100% right...we have individual freedom to express ourselves....judges work is insides the courts not into the personal matters or personal opinions.....they see Asma.s comments and they are blind about the killings of citizens across the country......
Courts shouldn,t threaten the rich and power clients of the Lawyers, instead they should do that to the poor and weaker people like done by Dogar courts.
@Afaaq:
Why can't anyone say that a judgment is wrong? Has no judge ever given an incorrect judgment?
Good for you, Asma! Proud of you. Such a brave lady, MashaAllah.
Asma Jillani is iron lady of Pakistan, an intellectual with forward thinking. Yesterday chief Justice Ch paid tribute to Amsa Jillani case condemning rest of the judgements on the subject being badly influenced by the dictators. It is tribute to her. She is a known human rights activist - but people are very critical about her taking up the case of Haqani, which was filed on green single from powerful quarters. Main argument was that memo has endangered life of Pakistanis including Nawaz Sharif, hence it is a matter of fundamental rights and falls well with in the jurisdiction of Supreme court. She booked this case being a case of fundamental rights, more over there was hardly any one who could withstand against military in the court. Asma argued that if memo endanger life of people and it is matter of fundamental rights then why supreme court thrown away number of petitions filed against drone attacks which killed thousands of Pakaitanis what to talk about their rights. In this case Judiciary behaved and is still behaving like friend and foe threatening to cancel licences of lawyers which is disappointing making it controversial. Pakistan is already at brink cannot afford further controversies.
So re-assuring to hear ms jehangir upholding the rule of law and constitutional freedoms of the individual . We tend to celebrate the movement for restoration of judiciary , but fail to articulate its pluses and minuses .Some unintended and negative consequences are too obvious to be missed .For example :
Lawyers turning into unruly mobs assaulting police journalists and courts , and showering flowers on murderers , Courts developing hubris showing increasig lack of judicial restraint and pronounced tendency to exceed their constitutional limits Judges being drawn into the partisan power games of our politics .
The way the movement for restoration of judiciary was conducted has visibly undermined some of the basic values which should inform the judiciary and lawyers . It involves . in my opinion , the age-old moral issue of ends being thwarted by use of improper means even if the intentions are sincere . After the highly politicised nature of the restoration movement values of rule of law and impartiality of judiciary were bound to be eroded .
Well said Asma Jahangir. It doesn't matter if you disagree with someones opinion, the judges need to stop making dictatorial threats. On the same note Babar Awans licence should be restored and then his case referred to the Pakistan Bar Council for proper judgement.
What a brave Lady !! Manhood must learn some lessons. The current ""Union of Judges"" have made it a practice to threaten evryone, including government lawyers, functioneries, civil-rights activists, etc. and if the continue this evil trend, I am sure a fresh Lawyers' movement will take them back to their due and right place.
As Asma Jehangir should know by now. Every institution has its own rules and regulations which people have to follow. The court should not bend the rules for any one, be it Asma Jehangir or any other lawyer on a political parties payroll. Can someone remind our lawyers they cannot be judge jury and the executioner. It is every lawyers prerogative to disagree with the courts decisions, but simply cannot suggest the court is wrong.
I wish there were more women like her in Pakistan.
Hate the guts of this woman.
Keep showing them the mirror. Restoration has gone to their heads; they keep playing to the galleries.