LHCBA flays references against lawyers, ex-judge

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court Bar Association has strongly denounced filing of a reference against its former president Pir Masood Chishti, Justice (r) Riaz Kiyani and senior advocate Babar Awan and demanded Chief Justice of Pakistan to take action against all NAB officials who are involved in launching a malicious campaign against lawyers; otherwise, a country-wide movement would be launched.

Former Bar secretary Shahid Mehmood Bhatti presented the resolution which was unanimously passed by the LHCBA general house on Monday.

The NAB officials have violated the fundamental rights of citizens by filing the instant reference which is unconstitutional, illegal and uncalled for. The relevant NAB officials have committed criminal negligence and should be held accountable. It is the first NAB reference in Pakistan’s history wherein legal opinion of law ministry has been termed a crime.

The Bar asked the NAB to drop the reference and demanded the CJ protect Bar members from unconstitutional and illegal action of NAB. recruitment case: An accountability court on Monday adjourned the hearing of illegal recruitment case against former premier Raja Pervez Ashraf by September 29 after summoning more prosecution witnesses in the case.

Previously, the court had indicted former premier Raja Pervez Ashraf in a reference for allegedly recruiting more than 400 employees in Gujranwala Electric Power Company (Gepco) in a blatant violation of merit.

According to the NAB reference, Raja Pervez Ashraf in connivance with other accused recruited around 437 people without taking merit into consideration. Moreover, the accused hired even those persons who had not applied for the job in Gepco.

Drug smuggling case: An additional district and sessions court on Monday adjourned the hearing of a heroin smuggling case against Czech model Tereza Hluskova who was arrested at Lahore airport while allegedly trying to smuggle 9kg heroin.

The court adjourned the hearing by September 12 (tomorrow) after recording statement of a prosecution witness. The 21-year-old Tereza Hluskova was attempting to smuggle the heroin from Lahore to another country but intercepted by customs officials. During inspection it was revealed that she was carrying 9kg heroin with her. Later, an alleged facilitator of the woman namely Tariq was arrested. As per facilitator, Tereza was sent to the country by his brother’s friend and it wasn’t the first visit of Tereza.