IHC building attack: Five percent lawyers brought disgrace to whole fraternity: IHC CJ

ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah on Wednesday said lawyers’ attack on the IHC building had disgraced the whole legal fraternity and they must be brought to book to avoid such untoward incidents in future.

Terming the incident a disrespect for the martyrs of lawyers’ movement and an attack on judiciary and institutions, he said bar council was responsible for taking action against such lawyers for vandalising a sacred institution.

The chief justice gave these remarks during the hearing of different cases. He further said a group of some 100 lawyers had earned a bad name for legal fraternity while 95 percent professional lawyers had to face embarrassment due to a five percent’s wrongdoings.

Justice Athar Minallah said that he had to remain confined in his chamber for three hours owing to the protest. He could take action but he preferred to remain confined, he added.

On the occasion, a senior lawyer Mian Abdul Rauf assured the CJ that such incidents would not take place in future. To this, the chief justice said it was possible only if the responsible of the current ambush were punished and be made an example for others.

Abdul Rauf said it was also being ascertained who instigated the other lawyers for the attack. The chief justice asked him not to give an impression of a conspiracy as all were known faces in the mob.

The CJ questioned, "Why the flower pots and windows were broken, what the way we have chosen to protest. "The incident was also discussed in other courts of law as well in which judges reprimanded lawyers for this illegal action and taking the law in their hands by a group.”

Former president IHCBA Waqas Malik said that the young lawyers were used to fuel this unfortunate incident. He however admitted that legal fraternity due to this ungracious incident was facing harsh criticism across the country.