Lawyer fined for favouring opposite party

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday fined Rs20,000 to a lawyer for arguing against his client during a case of family dispute on a piece of land.

A two-member bench of the apex court comprising Justice Mushir Alam and Justice Qazi Faez Isa heard an appeal filed regarding a family land dispute. During the course of hearing, an interesting situation was witnessed when a lawyer started arguments against his own client and favouring the opposite side. At this the client begun to caution the lawyer, however, the lawyer did not pay any heed and continued his arguments.

At this Justice Qazi Faez Isa asked the counsel as to which party’s case he was contesting, the brother or his sister. Sajjad Hassan Shah, the lawyer replied that he was arguing on behalf of sister.

Justice Mushir Alam, however, reminded to the counsel that he had filed the power of attorney on behalf of brother but during the last half an hour hearing he was arguing in favour of the opposite party.

Justice Qazi Faez Isa asked the counsel that the evidence and references of cases he had produced also goes in favour of the opposite party. Meanwhile, the court imposed fine of Rs20,000 on counsel Sajjad Hassan Shah and ordered him to pay it accordingly to his client in front of the court. Justice Mushir Alam told the counsel that he got the fee for the case so early hence he was required to study the case as well before appearing in the court.