ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday suspended licences of two lawyers for abusing a police officer, hurling threats to burn down a police station and storming the Chief Justice Block of the IHC.

Both the lawyers are the incumbent secretary and former president of the Islamabad District Bar Association (IDBA).

A three-member bench comprising Chief Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Lubna Saleem Pervez resumed hearing in the complaint filed by the registrar office.

Former Islamabad District Bar Association president Zafar Khokhar, while appearing along with his counsel, filed an affidavit in which he admitted that the incident had taken place on Jan 16 at the police station.

The video footage of the incident had gone viral showing Zafar Khokhar abusing the police officer.

The Islamabad District Bar Association secretary of Hafiz Liaqat Manzoor Kamboh was also shown in the video threatening to burn down the police station.

In his affidavit, Zafar Khokhar has taken the plea that the police officer was not in uniform and that the video footage might have been edited. The court noted that submitting a false affidavit could have serious consequences and an act of grave misconduct on part of an enrolled advocate.

“The onus is obviously on the respondent Zafar Khokhar to satisfy this court that the video footage which had gone viral had been edited or was not genuine,” the court order said.

Hafiz Liaqat Manzoor Kamboh has preferred not to submit his affidavit. Both the respondents were arrested in the criminal case registered in connection with storming of Islamabad High Court and rendering it dysfunctional on Feb 8.

Zafar Khokhar was released on bail while the other respondent, Hafiz Liaqat Manzoor Kamboh is in Adiala jail.

The court termed the reply of Khokhar as unsatisfactory in both the incidents. The court observed that “as President of the District Bar Association he is alleged to have been involved in illegal allotment of spaces for construction of purported chambers on public streets, pathways and car parks.”

Prime-facie, the case falls under the ambit of Islamabad Bar Council for disciplinary proceedings unless the respondents satisfy us otherwise.

It is noted that besides the alleged involvement of the respondents in the incident of storming of High Court on Feb 8, intimidating and threatening public functionaries and using inappropriate language amount to acts of grave misconduct on part of enrolled Advocates because it undermines rule of law and erodes the confidence of the people in the state.

Such conduct tarnishes the image of the entire legal fraternity, which has always stood firm for upholding rule of law and the Constitution. Further hearing in this matter has been adjourned till April 8.

Meanwhile, anti terrorism court of Islamabad on Tuesday granted interim bail to Islamabad Bar Council member Naseer Kayani and newly elected secretary of Islamabad High Court Bar Association Tassadaq Hanif. Both were nominated as accused in FIR registered in connection with storming of the IHC on Feb 8.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2021