ISLAMABAD, July 9: Pakistan Bar Council Executive Committee Chairman Kazim Khan on Wednesday appeared before Chief Justice Shaikh Riaz Ahmad, whom the lawyers’ bodies call a ‘retired’ judge, in his chambers and got an interim bail for a client.

The office of the Supreme Court released a copy of the order to show that Mr Khan appeared before the chief justice and got interim bail for his client, Dr Mohammad Iqbal, who is facing corruption charges by the National Accountability Bureau.

When contacted, Mr Khan said he had appeared before Justice Ahmad and there was no bar on any lawyer appearing before any judge.

He said it was unethical for a lawyer to abandon his clients, specially those from whom he had obtained legal fees.

He said his stance on the Legal Framework Order and the extension in the judges’ retirement age was unchanged and the lawyers would continue their struggle for the independence of the judiciary.