Misbehaviour: SC laments Punjab lawmakers’ attitude

Court directs the provincial bar councils to submit report on the number of complaints received against lawyers

Our Correspondent February 04, 2015

The Supreme Court of Pakistan. PHOTO: AFP

ISLAMABAD:

The Supreme Court voiced dismay on Tuesday that no disciplinary action had been taken against lawyers who misbehave with judges and litigants even after 5,000 or more such complaints.

The two-member bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja, has directed the provincial bar councils to submit a report on the number of complaints received against lawyers and what disciplinary action had been initiated against them.

Malik Haider Zaman, a lawyer, had misbehaved with the Civil Judge Farhat Jabeen Rana in Ferozwala and the case reached the Supreme Court in a bail application.

During the hearing, Justice Khawaja remarked if the lawyers’ attitude is not good with the judges then how could there be independence of judiciary in the country. “If these things go on ... then I have no interest in being part of this system,” he said.

Justice Khawaja pointed out said that out of 5,000 complaints, action has been taken against only 17 lawyers.

Chaudhry Abdul Islam, chairman of the executive committee of Punjab Bar Council appearing on behalf of the council, assured that he would weed out the black sheep from the lawyers’ community.

He submitted a report according to which the Punjab Bar Council in the last five years received 4,295 complaints against the misconduct of lawyers with fellow lawyers and the litigants. Islam pledged before the court that he would take to task all those lawyers who had misbehaved with the judges and the court will see positive results after a year.

The court noted that lawyers in Balochistan have the best relationship with the judges as no complaint of lawyers’ misconduct has been received by Balochistan Bar Council.

Pakistan Bar Council’s representative Qulbi Hassan said that Punjab has taken the lead in receiving the complaints against the lawyers over their misconduct.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 4^th, 2015.