Monday, June 18, 2012

Terrorist Lawyers of Pakistan.

Zahid Bukhari, counsel of Malik Riaz, was earlier barred from Lahore Bar Association. PHOTO: AGENCIES/ FILE - KARACHI: Advocate Zahid Bukhari and Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan have been banned from entering all law bar associations in Sindh, Express News reported on Saturday. The decision to bar the entries of Bukhari – the counsel for Malik Riaz – and Aitzaz was taken during a meeting of Sindh lawyers, organised by the Karachi Bar Association. The Karachi Bar Association president, while announcing the decision, said that the step was taken to express support for the Supreme Court. Earlier, Bukhari’s was also barred to enter the Lahore Bar Association. The Lahore bar had also adopted a resolution assuring its support to the Supreme Court and announced a two day boycott from the courts. REFERENCE: Zahid Bukhari, Aitzaz Ahsan barred from Sindh law bars By Web Desk Published: June 16, 2012 http://tribune.com.pk/story/394639/zahid-bukhari-aitzaz-ahsan-barred-from-sindh-law-bars/

Mumtaz Qadri, murderer of Salman Taseer, showered with rose petals by Lawyers.



Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri, the bodyguard arrested for the killing of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, shouts religious slogans while being taken away by police after he was presented at a court in Islamabad. -Reuters Photo -- LAHORE: Lawyers showered the suspected killer of a prominent Pakistani governor with rose petals when he arrived at court Wednesday and an influential Muslim scholars group praised the assassination of the outspoken opponent of laws that order death for those who insult Islam. Mumtaz Qadri made his first appearance in an Islamabad court, where a judge remanded him in custody a day after he allegedly sprayed automatic gunfire at the back of Punjab province Gov. Salman Taseer while he was supposed to be protecting him as a bodyguard. A rowdy crowd slapped him on the back and kissed his cheek as he was escorted inside. The lawyers who tossed handfuls of rose petals over him were not involved in the case. As he left the court, a crowd of about 200 sympathizers chanted ”death is acceptable for Muhammad’s slave.” The suspect stood at the back door of an armored police van with a flower necklace given to him by an admirer and repeatedly yelled ”God is great.” More than 500 clerics and scholars from the group Jamat Ahle Sunnat said no one should pray or express regret for the killing of the governor. The group representing Pakistan’s majority Barelvi sect, which follows a brand of Islam considered moderate, also issued a veiled threat to other opponents of the blasphemy laws. ”The supporter is as equally guilty as one who committed blasphemy,” the group warned in a statement, adding politicians, the media and others should learn ”a lesson from the exemplary death.” Jamat leader Maulana Shah Turabul Haq Qadri paid ”glorious tribute to the murderer … for his courage, bravery and religious honor and integrity.” Mumtaz Qadri told interrogators Tuesday that he shot the liberal Taseer multiple times because of the politician’s vocal opposition to the harsh blasphemy laws. REFERENCE: Lawyers shower roses for governor's killer AP | 5th January, 2011 http://dawn.com/2011/01/05/lawyers-shower-roses-for-governors-killer/



The UN special rapporteur urged the government to apply jurisdiction of highest courts enshrined in the Constitution to the whole of Pakistan since many could be deprived of their constitutional rights. She avoided elaborating her observation when asked, but said she believed that “a uniform legal system enshrined in the Constitution is necessary in order to avoid ambiguities and discrepancies in the administration of justice”. In the preliminary report, Ms Knaul said that the recognition of another superior higher court, the Federal Shariat Court, in the Constitution has created an ambiguity. “The existence of two superior courts in the Constitution is problematic and leaves space for interpretations which might be contradicting,” she believed. The UN special rapporteur expressed concern over cases brought under blasphemy law for which she used the term ‘so-called’ and explained that judges had been coerced to decide against the accused even without supporting; as for the lawyers, in addition to their reluctance to take up such cases, they were targeted and forced not to represent their clients properly. In addition, judges, prosecutors and lawyers working on cases related to terrorist acts and organised crime were also often the target of serious threats and attacks from various actors, including non-state actors, she said. As part of her mission, the UN special rapporteur paid attention to the integration of a gender perspective and women’s rights in the justice system, and expressed concern that there were currently no women sitting on the Supreme Court and only two women in the high courts. Ms Knaul said that she was further struck by reports of existing laws, such as the blasphemy law, being misused to target women and strip them off of their fundamental rights. Many stages of the justice system, starting with filing a case with the police, to accessing lawyers and appearing and testifying before courts, were gender-biased, and therefore impeded the full functioning of justice for women, she said. She expressed deep concern over the poor quality of investigations carried out by police service. REFERENCE: UN rapporteur calls for clear criteria for suo motu action http://dawn.com/2012/05/30/un-rapporteur-calls-for-clear-criteria-for-suo-motu-action/


US Commission on International Religious Freedom, Annual Report 2012



LAHORE: Former chief justice Lahore High Court Khawaja Sharif will defend Mumtaz Qadri, the accused killer of former governor Punjab Salman Taseer, DawnNews reported on Monday. The hearing of the appeal against the death sentence of Qadri will be heard by a two-member bench led by Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court Iqbal Hameed-ur-Rehman. The panel of Qadri’s lawyers including Khawaja Sharif, Malik Jawad, Malik Rafiq and Shuja-ur-Rehman, will be appearing before the court. Qadri signed his appeal papers today in Adiala Jail. Qadri confessed to shooting Taseer dead outside an upmarket coffee shop close to his residence in the leafy capital Islamabad on January 4. He said he objected to the politician’s calls to amend the blasphemy law. REFERENCE: Former CJ LHC to fight Mumtaz Qadri’s case DAWN.COM | 10th October, 2011 http://dawn.com/2011/10/10/former-cj-lhc-to-fight-mumtaz-qadris-case/ http://dawn.com/2011/10/06/mumtaz-qadri-files-appeal-against-death-penalty/

Former CJ LHC Khawaja Sharif defends Mumtaz Qadri in High Court

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=thEsyl9nT2I



ISLAMABAD: A reported statement by Lahore High Court Chief Justice (CJ) Khawaja Muhammad Sharif that the Hindu community was funding terrorism in Pakistan, irked members of the National Assembly, as many of whom joined minority members and walked out in protest. The lawmakers also demanded Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry take suo motu notice of the CJ’s remarks. Ramesh Lal, a minority lawmaker from the Pakistan People’s Party, raised the issue on a point of order and censured the CJ’s remarks, saying the Hindu community in Pakistan was as patriotic as the rest of the country and the remarks were highly uncalled for. Lal announced a token walkout and was joined by a few other members belonging to different parties, including the Awami National Party. He said the remarks hurt the over three million Hindus in Pakistan, adding the statement was against national unity. Labour and Manpower Minister Khursheed Shah tried to defend the CJ, saying he could not have made such a statement and might have referred to India and not the Hindu community. staff report REFERENCE: LHC CJ’s remarks irk NA members Wednesday, March 17, 2010 http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010%5C03%5C17%5Cstory_17-3-2010_pg7_6



BARELY days after the Punjab chief minister was caught playing to the Taliban gallery, another high official from the province is in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. This time, Lahore High Court Chief Justice Khawaja Mohammad Sharif has sparked outrage for reportedly saying that Hindus were responsible for financing acts of terrorism in Pakistan. The remarks came while the judge was hearing two identical petitions against the possible extradition of Afghan Taliban suspects. It may well have been a slip of the tongue by Mr Sharif, who might have mistakenly said `Hindu` instead of `India` — nevertheless it was a tasteless remark to say the least. Although such remarks warrant criticism what makes them worse is the position of the person who makes them. These sort of comments are the last thing one expects to hear from a judge, that too the chief justice of a provincial high court. What sort of message are we sending to our minorities, as well as to the world, when the holder of such a respected public office makes comments that come across as thoughtless? The Hindu members of the National Assembly walked out of the house on Tuesday to protest the remarks. The members said the comments had hurt the feelings of Pakistani Hindus — and there is no doubt that they had. As it is, Pakistan scores quite poorly when it comes to treating minorities fairly. Remarks such as these put our already marginalised minorities in an even tougher spot, as the patriotic credentials of non-Muslims living in this country are put into question. Though foreign elements may be involved in terrorist activities within Pakistan, maligning a whole community based on its faith is totally unacceptable. Before making such tactless remarks, our public figures should consider how much they dislike it when others equate Muslims with terrorism. A member of the National Assembly quite correctly advised our judges to concentrate on the dispensation of justice in Tuesday`s session. In the meantime, one hopes that Justice Sharif explains his comments. REFERENCE:Tactless remarks Dawn Editorial Thursday, 18 Mar, 2010  http://archives.dawn.com/archives/32510


ISLAMABAD, March 16: It was a rare, judge’s turn to be judged in the National Assembly on Tuesday as Hindu members staged a walkout to protest at reported remarks by the Lahore High Court (LHC) chief justice alleging Hindu financing of terror attacks in the country. Some members of the Awami National Party too joined the first walkout against the judiciary in Pakistan’s parliament before the protesters were brought back to hear words of sympathy for the injured sentiments and some advice for judges to focus on delivering justice rather than publicity despite a government minister’s statement that the remark by Justice Khawaja Mohammad Sharif while hearing a case in Lahore on Thursday seemed to be “a slip of the tongue”. The protest was the second raised in the house over press reports in as many days after sharp criticism of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif over his appeal to Taliban in a speech to a seminar in Lahore on Sunday to spare his province terror attacks because of some shared views with his PML-N party. PPP’s Hindu member Romesh Lal, who raised the issue, said sentiments of an estimated four million Pakistani Hindus had been injured by the LHC chief justice’s remarks, as reported in a section of the press, that while terrorist bomb blasts were being carried out by Muslims, “money used for this came from Hindus”. The member said if a country was suspected of sponsoring such attacks it should be named, but blame should not be put on just Hindus who, he said, were as good patriots as other Pakistanis. While drawing attention of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to what he called worry caused to Hindus, he appealed to Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry to take suo motu notice of Justice Sharif’s remarks. As Inter-Provincial Coordination Minister Pir Aftab Shah Jilani and some other members of the ruling PPP went out of the chamber to persuade the protesters to return, party chief whip and Labour and Manpower Minister Khurshid Ahmed Shah told the house the judge seemed to be blaming India for financing the Taliban rather Hindus, adding he was sure a clarification would come “by tomorrow”. PML-N’s Rashid Akbar Niwani said judges should devote to dispensation of justice instead of seeking publicity as he also advised the media to exercise “restraint”, particularly blasting unspecified television anchorpersons who, he said, should also be held accountable for their earnings together with “heads of (government) institutions” as often-maligned elected politicians. REFERENCE: A judge is judged in NA, with walkout By Raja Asghar Wednesday, 17 Mar, 2010 http://archives.dawn.com/archives/44079

Policy Matter Imran Khan on Asia Bibi Case Blasphemy Laws (November 27, 2010)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OU2KBkMvfj4


Lawyer slaps civil judge in Faisalabad FAISALABAD A lawyer slapped a civil judge across the face on Monday when an observation made by the latter in a case relating to a rent dispute angered him. Advocate Liaqat Javed had appeared before civil judge Tariq Mehmood and complained to the judge that a court bailiff had taken into custody his client Shehzad Mehmood, the accused in the case, although he had deposited the amount of default. The judge reportedly told the lawyer that he had not yet received the receipt of the payment. The remark angered the lawyer who allegedly started abusing the judge and the staff of the court. When other civil judges of district courts heard about the incident, they suspended work and demanded a stern action, including registration of a case against the lawyer. The district bar has convened a meeting to discuss the matter and suspended the membership of the lawyer. A delegation of the district bar association met the judge and informed him that the membership of the lawyer had been suspended and his case would be forwarded to the Punjab Bar Council for cancellation of his licence. Faisalabad bar president S.M. Iqbal, who met the district and sessions judge on Monday night, denied reports that some judges had resigned in protest against the incident. Talking to Dawn, he said the district and sessions judge and other judges were satisfied with the bar`s decision to suspend the Mr Javed`s membership and recommend to the PBC to cancel his licence. He said the judges would resume work on Wednesday. REFERENCE: Lawyer slaps civil judge in Faisalabad By Muhammad Saleem http://archives.dawn.com/archives/43878

Lawyers torture ASI in LHC premises



Lawyer slaps civil judge in Faisalabad courtroom - FAISALABAD/LAHORE: A lawyer slapped a civil judge in a court in Faisalabad, a private TV channel reported on Monday. Liaqat Javaid advocate slapped Civil Judge Tariq Mehmood, the channel reported. The judge was hearing a loan default case. Javaid, lawyer for the accused, asked the judge to release the accused as the amount had already been deposited. The judge after thoroughly reading the record of the case said the contention of the defendant’s lawyer could not be entertained as no such receipt of payment had been recorded. This flared the lawyer up and he started abusing the judge. He rushed to the dais and allegedly slapped the judge repeatedly. Court officials and lawyers succeeded in rescuing the judge, who went into his retiring room, APP reported. Reacting to the incident, the Faisalabad sessions judge ordered all judges to stop working immediately and demanded suspension of the lawyer’s licence. District bar office-bearers also held an emergency meeting and decided that the judges would continue to boycott the courts until the suspension of Javaid’s licence, the channel reported. The civil judges of Jaranwala, Samundri and Tandlianwala tehsils boycotted the courts. They condemned the incident and called it a shameful act. Forty-five civil judges submitted their resignations to the senior civil judge and said they would not resume their duties the next working day (Wednesday) if a case was not registered against the lawyer for disgracing, misbehaving, manhandling, abusing, threatening and attempting to kill the judge. They said Javaid had committed contempt of the court. District and Sessions Judge Sohail Nasir also held a meeting with the civil judges and assured that their grace and dignity would be protected at all costs. app/daily times monitor. REFERENCE: Lawyer slaps civil judge in Faisalabad courtroom Tuesday, March 23, 2010 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\03\23\story_23-3-2010_pg7_11

Lawyer hurls a shoe at judge in Faisalabad



Lawyer slaps judge in Faisalabad - FAISALABAD/LAHORE: A lawyer at the Faisalabad Sessions Court on Monday slapped a civil judge for rejecting a bail plea of a man accused of robbery. According to witnesses, Advocate Mohsin Nabeer appeared in the court of Civil Judge Azhar Ali Jaffari to seek bail for the accused. The civil judge rejected the bail, which provoked Nabeer to attack the judge. The lawyer slapped the judge, dragged him out of the court, and passed abusive remarks against him. Staff in the court caught the lawyer and handed him over to police, but some other lawyers freed him from the police custody. The lawyers also attacked some other judges, using abusive language against them. All judges left work in protest and gathered in the court of Civil Judge Azhar Ali Jaffari. Taking action against the lawyer, Punjab Bar Council (PBC) suspended his practice licence. The PBC Executive Committee chairman issued the order. The lawyer was also directed to appear before the disciplinary committee on March 22. agencies/staff report . REFERENCE: Lawyer slaps judge in Faisalabad Tuesday, March 20, 2012 http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2012\03\20\story_20-3-2012_pg7_4


Judge stays away from court FAISALABAD, Feb 11: The Banking Court No 2 judge stayed away from court on Friday after some lawyers hurled threats at him for he had issued a contempt of court notice to one of their colleagues on Wednesday. Sources said when judge Mahmood Ahmad Shakir issued a contempt notice to him, lawyer Sohail Anjum called his colleagues to besiege the court. They asked the judge to withdraw the notice or face consequences.The police manned the court to avoid any mishap on Friday as the lower staff of the court was on duty. District Bar Association Secretary Haris Amin said the issue had been taken up with District and Sessions Court Judge Abdul Razzaq Bhatti and shortly it would be resolved. He said the judge got annoyed when the lawyer`s client shouted in the court. Judges and lawyers often have rows. Earlier on March 22, 2010, lawyer Liaquat Javed slapped civil judge Tariq Mahmood Kahot in Faisalabad which triggered a judges` strike in the district. On June 20, 2009, hundred of lawyers shoved judge Aslam. REFERENCE: Judge stays away from court By Our Staff Correspondent 12th February, 2011 http://dawn.com/2011/02/12/judge-stays-away-from-court/


Lahore High Court Terrorist Lawyers beating Police Officer outside a court



Civil judges in Punjab rally against lawyer LAHORE, March 26 Judicial officers took to the streets on Friday in protest against slapping of a civil judge by a lawyer in Faisalabad earlier this week, highlighting tensions between the bench and the bar. The civil judges wearing black armbands marched from civil courts to the district and sessions courts after performing judicial duties in their chambers instead of courts. In Arifwala tehsil of Pakpattan district, four civil judges resigned to protest against the incident. In Faisalabad, where the ugly incident took place on Monday, 45 sessions and civil judges from all over the district are on a strike. On Friday, they went on leave saying they would not resume work until the accused advocate, Liaquat Javed, was appropriately penalised for insulting Civil Judge Tariq Mahmood Kahut. The Lahore High Court on Thursday issued arrest warrants for Mr Javed and directed police to produce him handcuffed on March 30. The LHC move annoyed the Faisalabad bar, which put its weight behind the accused and went on an indefinite strike, saying only the Punjab Bar Council was authorised to penalise a lawyer. As if this were not enough, the entire judiciary in Kasur district, comprising 30 sessions and civil judges, went on a two-day strike on Friday to protest against “the blackmail and pressure tactics being employed by the bar”. They also submitted to the LHC applications for month-long leave with a request to transfer them from Kasur. REFERENCE: Civil judges in Punjab rally against lawyer Dawn Report http://archives.dawn.com/archives/41810

PML N Lawyers Terrorising Police in Front of Lahore High Court


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O4XdHn57Ifo


Lawyers torture police officer in front of judge IN yet another episode of hooliganism, a group of lawyers on Thursday brutally tortured a sub-inspector, injured him with a pistol butt, in front of an additional district and sessions judge in the courtroom after he refused to investigate a theft case as per their desire. The incident took place in the courtroom of Additional District and Sessions Judge Khawja Zafar Iqbal where Sub-Inspector Imtiaz Wahla was appearing regarding proceedings of a theft case (number 79/2012) registered with Quaid-e-Azam Real Estate Police Station by former Lahore Bar Association Model Town Seat President Qamar Shahid Mayo SI Imtiaz was the Investigation Officer of the theft case in which it was alleged that one Atif had stolen jewelry from a wedding hall located on the PECO Road.

The complainant had stated in FIR that the accused had stolen jewelry of her sister. On Thursday, the IO had to submit a report in the court and while submitting his report, he stated that police had no concrete evidence against Atif and his arrest was not possible. He said further investigation was under process. The statement of the IO flared up Qamar Shahid and his associates, including Sajid Aiwan, Tauseef Ulfat and 35 others. The lawyers while keeping aside prestige of the courtroom attacked SI Imtiaz and started thrashing him brutally. One of the lawyers even took out his pistol and hit the SI’s head with its butt, causing a severe injury. The lawyers also slapped the SI and took him to the committee room while taking him hostage. When the judge saw the whole episode, he left his seat and took shelter in his retiring room to save himself. However, a senior police official reached the court and rescued the SI.

It has been learnt that SI Imtiaz Wahla has registered a case against Qamar Shahid, Sajid Aiwan, Tauseef Ulfat and 35 other lawyers under the PPC sections 353, 506, 365, 342, 449, 448 and 186 with the Islampura Police Station. Later, the aforesaid lawyers also secured their pre-arrest bails from a court on submission of surety bonds of Rs50,000 each. Sub-inspector Imtiaz Wahla, talking to The News, said the lawyers had pressurised him to maneuver the investigation report and declare accused Atif guilty but he refused to accept their heinous demand. He alleged that Qamar Shahid advocate along with his henchmen was working as mafia and used to register fake cases against innocent people with different police stations. He said a case of the same nature was also registered with Kot Lakhputt Police Station, accusing the lawyer of registering cases and blackmailing people by using his law practice. It is pertinent to mention that it was the second consecutive day when lawyers subjected police officials to severe torture. A group of lawyers on Wednesday had tortured ASI Zohaib of Green Town Police Station in the Sessions Court. Meanwhile, the IG Punjab while addressing a press conference said that no one would be spared whether lawyers, journalists, politicians even police officials who would try to violate the law. REFERENCE: Lawyers torture police officer in front of judge Numan Wahab Friday, May 11, 2012 http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-5-107572-Lawyers-torture-police-officer-in-front-of-judge

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