PBC issues notices on plea for cancelling Ali Zafar’s licence

ISLAMABAD: The Disciplinary Committee of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) on Friday issued a notice to Barrister Ali Zafar for his “unauthorized” appearance as counsel in 2018 in the case of appointment of Justice Qazi Faez Isa as judge of the Supreme Court.

Justice Yahya Afridi, Chairman Disciplinary Committee of the Pakistan Bar Council, heard in the chamber a complaint of advocate Inam-ur-Raheem filed against Barrister Ali Zafar for appearing as counsel in 2018 in the case of appointment of Justice Qazi Faez Isa as judge of the Supreme Court. Advocate Inam-ur-Raheem in his complaint had submitted before the PBC Disciplinary Committee that Ali Zafar had not been engaged by the Lahore High Court Bar Association as an attorney advocate to argue the case against Justice Qazi Faez Isa.

He submitted that as per record Syed Ali Zafar did not have any power of attorney to represent the Lahore High Court Bar Association in the matter. He had prayed the committee to cancel the law practicing license of Barrister Ali Zafar after taking disciplinary action against him.

On Friday, Justice Yahya Afridi, being the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the Pakistan Bar Council, issued notices to Barrister Ali Zafar besides directing the complainant, Inam-ur-Raheem, to provide record of the whole matter and adjourned the matter for an indefinite period.

While issuing a notice to Ali Zafar Advocate, the court also sought record of his appointment as a lawyer of the Lahore High Court Bar. A plea was submitted on behalf of Barrister Ali Zafar that he had gone abroad on annual leave.

On an inquiry by the court, the complainant said that Ali Zafar had presented himself as a lawyer of the Lahore High Court Bar Association without any power of attorney in front of the bench consisting of Chief Justice Saqib Nisar, Justice Umar Atta Bandial and Justice Ijaz Ul Ahsan. “He committed professional misconduct. His lawyer's licence be cancelled and he should be banned from practicing law in Pakistan or any foreign country. Criminal proceedings should also be initiated against him,” he requested.