QUETTA, Nov 29: A division bench of the Balochistan High Court has said that the strike on Nov 27 by lawyers had undermined the canons of professional conduct and etiquette because an office holder of the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) himself disregarded it by giving the call.

The bench comprising Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa and Justice Muhammad Kamran Khan Mulakhel, hearing the case of Abdul Nafay versus the government of Balochistan, observed that cases were adjourned due to the non-appearance of lawyers before courts compounding the problems of litigants. Wednesday’s hearing was adjourned to Friday on the submission of a petitioner as his counsel was reluctant to appear before the court.

Advocates Amanullah Kanrani, Abdullah Khan Kakar and Baz Muhammad Kakar informed the court that an arbitrary strike call was given by the PBC vice-chairman and also submitted that he did not have an authority to give a strike without the approval of the body.

The court concurred with the learned counsel after examining the prescribed functions of PBC contained in section 13 of the Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Acts 1973.

The court said that it was not understandable how a senior member of the PBC had encroached into the domain of bar politics as hundreds, if not thousands, of cases might have been adjourned today because of the lawyers’ absence. The court said “we all should uphold the dignity of profession, majesty of law, canons of professional and conduct and etiquette to better serve people”.

It ordered the copy of this order be sent to office holders of the PBC, the Supreme Court Bar Association, Balochistan Bar Council, Balochistan Bar Association and Balochistan High Court Bar Association.