PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court has suspended practicing licence of a lawyer and also issued a show cause notice to him for using ‘abusive language’ against a senior judge and court staff.

The senior puisne judge Justice Ijaz Anwar ordered that the licence of Advocate Iltaf Samad should remain suspended and he should not be allowed to appear before high court and its benches till further order.

The judge issued a show cause notice to him, asking him to explain as to why he should not be proceeded against for trying to ridicule the authority of the court by using abusive language towards the court staff as well as regarding the high court judge under Article 204 of the Constitution of Pakistan read with Section 3 of Contempt of Court Ordinance, 2003, and at the same time, his case should be referred to Pakistan Bar Council for initiation of disciplinary proceedings.

The bench directed him to submit his reply within a fortnight.

The bench also directed that the matter should be placed before the PHC chief justice for referring it to any other judge for proceeding against Mr Iltaf Samad, in accordance with law.

In its order sheet, the bench pointed out that on March 9, 2026, it was observed that repeatedly, the case was adjourned on the request of the counsel (Iltaf Samad) for the petitioner, because the petition was filed on Dec 2, 2024, and till date he never appeared before the court to argue the case even at preliminary stage.

“As such he was issued a show cause notice to explain as to why he failed to perform his legal obligations while not pursuing this and the connected writ petition,” the bench observed.

The bench pointed out that the record further transpired that while seeking adjournment, incorrect and misleading information was provided regarding his appearance before Supreme Court, whereas on the date fixed, he had no case before the apex court. It said that the fact was duly admitted in his reply to the show cause notice by the lawyer.

The bench pointed out that in the morning before the commencement of the court proceedings (on May 18) when Mr Iltaf Samad appeared and inquired about the status of his case which was fixed for hearing.

It said when he was informed by the court’s reader about the issuance of show cause notice, he got infuriated and used abusive and indecent language belittling the court reader as well as the judge.

Published in Dawn, May 20th, 2026