Defamation suit against Imran: Ex CJP’s lawyer cries foul
Chaudhry’s counsel says Dr Babar Awan has ‘personal issues’ with his client.
District and Sessions Judge Tanveer Mir issued a notice to Awan and sought his reply till Feb 21 in the Rs20 billion defamation suit. PHOTO: AFP
ISLAMABAD:
A district and sessions judge on Saturday issued notices to former law minister Dr Babar Awan over former Supreme Court chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Chaudhry’s application requesting the court to reject Awan’s power of attorney.
Awan is defending Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in a defamation suit filed against him by Chaudhry for alleging his ‘hand in rigging’ the May 2013 elections.
District and Sessions Judge Tanveer Mir issued a notice to Awan and sought his reply till Feb 21 in the Rs20 billion defamation suit.
“Morally, ethically and legally Awan cannot appear in this case against my client because of a ‘conflict of interest’ as laid down in rule 148 of the Pakistan Legal Practitioners & Bar Councils Rules, 1976,” said Chaudhry’s counsel Sheikh Ashanuddin.
On January 20, the court had sent a notice to the PTI chief after the former CJP filed a defamation suit. However, on Saturday, Awan requested the court to give him time as ‘he was not provided copies of documents by the defence’.
The petitioner’s counsel maintained that Awan has mala fide intentions against his client as the former CJP had passed several orders against him [Awan] when he appeared before the apex court in various cases previously.
Giving details of those cases, the counsel claimed that he (Awan) has a personal grudge against his client which is why he is defending Khan.
Awan was the law minister in the Yousaf Raza Gilani-led government when the former CJP had suspended his licence to practice as a lawyer on contempt charges. The apex court had declared Awan guilty of ridiculing the court in December 2011. In May 2014 the court restored the licence after Chaudhry’s retirement.
The petitioner’s counsel requested the court to direct Awan to disassociate himself from the case otherwise his presence as a counsel will negate the principle of a fair trial.
He also requested the court to refer Awan’s case to the Punjab Bar Council for initiating proceedings of misconduct.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2015.
A district and sessions judge on Saturday issued notices to former law minister Dr Babar Awan over former Supreme Court chief justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Chaudhry’s application requesting the court to reject Awan’s power of attorney.
Awan is defending Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan in a defamation suit filed against him by Chaudhry for alleging his ‘hand in rigging’ the May 2013 elections.
District and Sessions Judge Tanveer Mir issued a notice to Awan and sought his reply till Feb 21 in the Rs20 billion defamation suit.
“Morally, ethically and legally Awan cannot appear in this case against my client because of a ‘conflict of interest’ as laid down in rule 148 of the Pakistan Legal Practitioners & Bar Councils Rules, 1976,” said Chaudhry’s counsel Sheikh Ashanuddin.
On January 20, the court had sent a notice to the PTI chief after the former CJP filed a defamation suit. However, on Saturday, Awan requested the court to give him time as ‘he was not provided copies of documents by the defence’.
The petitioner’s counsel maintained that Awan has mala fide intentions against his client as the former CJP had passed several orders against him [Awan] when he appeared before the apex court in various cases previously.
Giving details of those cases, the counsel claimed that he (Awan) has a personal grudge against his client which is why he is defending Khan.
Awan was the law minister in the Yousaf Raza Gilani-led government when the former CJP had suspended his licence to practice as a lawyer on contempt charges. The apex court had declared Awan guilty of ridiculing the court in December 2011. In May 2014 the court restored the licence after Chaudhry’s retirement.
The petitioner’s counsel requested the court to direct Awan to disassociate himself from the case otherwise his presence as a counsel will negate the principle of a fair trial.
He also requested the court to refer Awan’s case to the Punjab Bar Council for initiating proceedings of misconduct.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 15th, 2015.