Court drama: Lawyer, judge exchange barbs
The judge had refused to hear a petition against Senator Babar Awan.
A lawyer and a judge exchanged hot words over a petition seeking legal action against Senator Babar Awan. PHOTO: FILE
LAHORE:
A lawyer and a judge exchanged hot words on Monday over a petition seeking legal action against Senator Babar Awan.
Petitioner Advocate Afaq Ahmed had filed a petition against Senator Awan in the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Malik Tariq Mehmood Zargham.
On Monday, Zargham referred the case to a district and sessions judge, saying that Awan was a friend of his and it would not be appropriate for him to hear the case.
When Ahmed appeared before the court, he was told that his petition had been referred to the district and session judge as the additional district and sessions judge did not want to hear his petition.
The lawyer got into an argument with the court staff.
On hearing the commotion, Judge Zargham personally came to the room and told the lawyer that he could not hear the petition.
Ahmed told the judge that he had filed the petition in his court on October 21 and he (the judge) had fixed it for hearing four times and had even sought comments from the Old Anarkali SHO.
“Why did you not mention earlier that you had a personal relationship with Awan?” the lawyer asked accusingly.
The lawyer then asked the judge how much money he had accepted from the senator.
The judge recited Quranic verses and said he had never accepted a bribe in his career.
The judge then pulled out his wallet from his pocket and placed it on the table.
He took out Rs1500 from his wallet and told the lawyer that was all money he had.
He challenged the lawyers in the courtroom to search his chambers. He said he would resign if anyone could prove that he had ever accepted illegal gratification.
The judge then retired to his chambers.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Advocate Afaq said the judge should not have fixed the case for hearing if he had relations with Senator Awan.
He said the judge’s conduct had disappointed him.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 5th, 2013.
A lawyer and a judge exchanged hot words on Monday over a petition seeking legal action against Senator Babar Awan.
Petitioner Advocate Afaq Ahmed had filed a petition against Senator Awan in the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Malik Tariq Mehmood Zargham.
On Monday, Zargham referred the case to a district and sessions judge, saying that Awan was a friend of his and it would not be appropriate for him to hear the case.
When Ahmed appeared before the court, he was told that his petition had been referred to the district and session judge as the additional district and sessions judge did not want to hear his petition.
The lawyer got into an argument with the court staff.
On hearing the commotion, Judge Zargham personally came to the room and told the lawyer that he could not hear the petition.
Ahmed told the judge that he had filed the petition in his court on October 21 and he (the judge) had fixed it for hearing four times and had even sought comments from the Old Anarkali SHO.
“Why did you not mention earlier that you had a personal relationship with Awan?” the lawyer asked accusingly.
The lawyer then asked the judge how much money he had accepted from the senator.
The judge recited Quranic verses and said he had never accepted a bribe in his career.
The judge then pulled out his wallet from his pocket and placed it on the table.
He took out Rs1500 from his wallet and told the lawyer that was all money he had.
He challenged the lawyers in the courtroom to search his chambers. He said he would resign if anyone could prove that he had ever accepted illegal gratification.
The judge then retired to his chambers.
Talking to The Express Tribune, Advocate Afaq said the judge should not have fixed the case for hearing if he had relations with Senator Awan.
He said the judge’s conduct had disappointed him.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 5th, 2013.