ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) today (Friday) has stayed Islamabad authorities from demolishing lawyers’ chambers at the capital’s district courts till the next hearing on March 2.
A three-member bench, presided by Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed, heard the case related to the attack on Islamabad High Court (IHC) during which lawyers ransacked the high court’s premises.
During the hearing, CJP Ahmed expressed displeasure over the gathering of lawyers on the rostrum. “We were lawyers once but did not try to pressurize the court. Lawyers should not occupy public places,” the chief justice said.
The CJP further said the lawyers should respect the institution that they represent. “Islamabad Bar had been involved in allotting these chambers which the lawyers deem as private property,” he added.
Approving the appeal of the Islamabad Bar Council for hearing, the SC said that no further action should be taken till the next hearing on March 2. Islamabad Bar Council had challenged the contempt of court proceedings against the lawyers.
On February 7, the Capital Development Authority’s (CDA) enforcement team and police demolished the illegal chambers. A day later, a group of lawyers barged into the IHC’s Chief Justice Athar Minallah’s office where he was present. Groups of lawyers also forced other judges out of their courtrooms.
Expressing displeasure over the ransacking of the high court on February 15, Justice Minallah called for exemplary punishment to be given to lawyers involved in the attack.
