LAHORE: The Punjab Bar Council (PbBC) on Tuesday suspended the legal practicing licence of Advocate Hassaan Khan Niazi, nephew of Prime Minister Imran Khan, on a complaint of the counsel of Balochistan former governor Nawab Akbar Bugti’s widow, who also got an FIR registered against him.

Islampura police had lodged the case on the complaint of Shahzadi Nargis who accused Advocate Niazi of attacking her when she appeared before a sessions court to secure bail in a case of cyber crime registered by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

The agency had lodged a case against Nargis on a complaint of her former daughter in-law namely Wishah Abubakar for sharing her objectionable pictures and videos on social media. She also accused her former husband Shahzawar Bugti of subjecting her to physical torture and extending life threats to her.

Advocate Niazi is a legal counsel of Ms Abubakar.

In his complaint to the PbBC, Advocate Ayaz Butt, the counsel of Ms Nargis, narrated the same allegations mentioned in the FIR already lodged by his client.

An order issued by PbBC vice-chairman Amjad Iqbal Khan says the complaint needs consideration, therefore a notice be issued to the respondent (Niazi) for July 17.

“Keeping in view serious allegations leveled against the respondent, meanwhile the licence to practice as advocate of respondent namely Mr Hassaan Khan Niazi is hereby suspended and the matter is referred to executive committee for further proceedings,” reads the order.

In the FIR, Nargis alleged that Niazi and his accomplices first abused her in the presence of her lawyer and then tried to strangle her with the intention to take her life.

Talking to Dawn, Advocate Niazi denied the charges saying organised attempts had been made to silence him.

He said the allegations levelled against him in the FIR were flimsy and fabricated. He said he would prove his innocence before the bar council and get his licence restored.

Niazi had already obtained pre-arrest bail in the FIR registered against him.

Published in Dawn, July 14th, 2021