LAHORE: First round of negotiations between Lahore High Court Chief Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik and leaders of the bar on the issue of a female judge’s ‘misbehaviour’ with the bar president ended without a breakthrough on Thursday.

Members of the Lahore High Court Bar Association had gone on strike when its President Pir Masood Chishti claimed that Justice Erum Sajjad Gull misbehaved him in courtroom the other day.

On Thursday, the bar also observed boycott of the court of Justice Erum Sajjad Gull, however, the judge did not come to the court too. Litigants were waiting for the call of their cases in the courtroom of Justice Gull when a group of lawyers came and asked the litigants to leave the place.

They also removed the cause-list affixed outside the courtroom.

Later the staff pasted a note on the door of the court that the judge was on leave.

A delegation of senior lawyers comprising Pakistan Bar Council Vice Chairman Azam Nazir Tarar, Executive Committee Chairman Ahsan Bhoon, LHCBA President Pir Masood Chishti, Punjab Bar Council member Ghulam Abbas and others held an hour-long meeting with the chief justice.

Mr Tarar said the meeting was held in a pleasant atmosphere, however, ended without a breakthrough.

He said the meeting was not a total failure but a one step towards smooth resolution of the dispute.

He said the lawyers would boycott the female judge if she continued to hold judicial work in Lahore.

The second round of the negotiations would be held on Friday (today).

An official said Justice Gull might not work at principal seat (Lahore) till reconciliation. She can be posted at any of the regional seats -- Rawalpindi, Bahawalpur and Multan.

Published in Dawn, July 31st, 2015

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