Lawyer held for ‘vandalising’ LHC copy branch

LAHORE : Old Anarkali police on Wednesday arrested a lawyer for vandalising the copy branch of the Lahore High Court allegedly to protest delay in issuance of attested copy of an order.

The lawyer, identified as Majid Jahangir, entered the branch with a big club and started smashing glass of the counters established in the room. A video of the incident widely circulated on the social media shows that the advocate warned everyone, including a policeman, present at the scene to stay away and not become a party in what he was doing.

“Do not interfere in it as it’s a matter of lawyers,” Advocate Jahangir warned the police official. The angry lawyer smashed all the glass counters and left the branch. Later, security personnel arrested him and handed him over to police.

Police registered an FIR of the incident under Sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 440 (mischief committed after preparation made for causing death or hurt), 506B (criminal intimidation) of Pakistan Penal Code. Police also added Section 7 of Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 to the case. Taking notice of the incident, Punjab Bar Council, the provincial regulatory body of lawyers, suspended the legal practice licence of Advocate Majid Jahangir and referred the matter to a tribunal for cancellation of the licence. In a video message, the council’s vice-chairman, Farhan Shahzad, condemned the incident saying the act of an individual lawyer brought a bad name to the whole legal fraternity. He said the licences of 170 lawyers were suspended in the nine months of the current year on charges of professional misconduct. Later, High Court Bar Association also condemned the incident and suspended the membership of Advocate Majid Jahangir and also restricted his entry to the bar. Secretary Khwaja Mohsin Abbas said the whole cabinet showed great resentment over the gross misconduct of the lawyer and the incident.