At hearing of assault case, lawyers start mass brawl

LBA representative says brawl a result of ‘misunderstanding’, matter resolved.

LAHORE:

Opposing counsel at a bail hearing in an assault case got into a fight that turned into a mass brawl at the District and Sessions Court here on Wednesday.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Ashiq Jaurah had summoned Rizwan, Ramazan, Tahir Usman and Iqbal for 8.30am on Wednesday for a hearing to decide whether to extend their bail. They have been accused of assault and theft by a bank manager, Rana Rafaqat.

But as the accused went to the courtroom yesterday morning, they were set upon by the complainant’s lawyers, said witnesses. Their lawyer Advocate Adnan tried to intervene, but he too was beaten up, said the witnesses.

Adnan’s colleagues then also got involved, and a huge brawl ensued on the premises. Lawyers picked up chairs and tables from inside the courtroom and flung them at each other.

Judge Jaurah later sent the case to the district and sessions judge for August 29.

Lahore Bar Association General Secretary Kamran Bashir Mughal said that the fighting had been the result of a “misunderstanding” that had now been resolved.

Both the complainant and the accused in the case are related to lawyers: Rana Rafaqat’s brother is Advocate Rana Khalid, while some of the accused are cousins of Advocate Mushtaq Bhatti.

Bhatti, speaking to The Express Tribune, alleged that the FIR of the case was a fiction and it had only been registered because the complainant’s brother was a lawyer.

According to the FIR, Rizwan, Ramazan, Iqbal and Tahir Usman and 15 unidentified men had forced their way into the bank branch where the complainant worked in Masti Gate police jurisdiction, thrashed him, tried to abduct him, and stolen Rs200,000 from him.

The case was registered under sections of the Pakistan Penal Code dealing with theft, rioting whilst armed with a deadly weapon, and shajjah (injuries).

According to Bhatti, Rafaqat was his cousin Rizwan’s boss at the bank. He said that Rafaqat had got into an argument with his manager over new currency notes and resigned in anger.

Rizwan’s brother Ramazan and others later approached the bank to try and get Rizwan his job back, he said.

But Rafaqat refused and used abusive language about Rizwan, goading Ramazan into striking him, he said. Rafaqat then lodged a false complaint against them with the help of his brother, Bhatti alleged.

The lawyer for the complainant, Advocate KP Waseem, was not available for comment.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 29^th, 2013.