RAWALPINDI: The contents of a sealed first information report (FIR) registered against an advocate for allegedly hitting a civil judge with a glass, injuring his head and fingers, in his chamber at the judicial complex on Tuesday have emerged.
Protesting against the registration of the FIR against the advocate, the Rawalpindi Bar Association boycotted court proceedings and staged a protest at the judicial complex on Wednesday.
The FIR was registered under eight sections of the law, including Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), Section 506(ii) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) for issuing threats of dire consequences, Section 353 PPC for using criminal force against a public servant or deterring him from performing his lawful duties, Section 324 PPC for attempting to commit intentional murder (qatl-i-amd), and Sections 186, 147 and 149 PPC.
Syed Tahir Abbas Shah, reader to the court of Malik Ali Miran, Civil Judge Class I, lodged a complaint with the Civil Lines police, stating that he was sitting in his office and attending to court work when advocate Muhammad Aslam Khan Niazi, accompanied by advocate Muhammad Farooq Aslam Khan and seven other lawyers, entered the courtroom and tried to force their way into the judge’s chamber. Their actions were visible in the CCTV footage, he said.
He said he tried to stop them from entering the judge’s chamber, but Muhammad Aslam Khan Niazi and Muhammad Farooq Aslam Khan started verbally abusing him and scuffling with him before forcibly entering the chamber.
He added that he and other court staff members followed them into the chamber. Once inside, Mr Niazi allegedly used abusive language against the civil judge and shouted at him, questioning why the application against them had been entertained.
According to the FIR, the judge calmly replied that the application had been decided purely on merit and that the case file had been forwarded to the ahlmand (court record room).
“If you are still not satisfied with the court’s decision, you can file an appeal in accordance with the law,” the complainant quoted the judge as saying.
The FIR stated that, in response, the advocate threatened the judge with dire consequences, picked up a glass from the table and struck him above the eye with the intention of killing him, injuring the judge.
The complainant further stated that advocate Muhammad Farooq also picked up a piece of the broken glass, pointed it at the judge, threatened to kill him and started assaulting him.
When the judge tried to stop him with his right hand, he sustained injuries to his fingers, the complaint said.
The complainant added that when he and other court staff members tried to rescue the judge, Muhammad Farooq Aslam Khan and his companions assaulted him, causing him to fall to the ground.
The FIR further stated that the two advocates and their colleagues threatened the judge with dire consequences and warned him that they would see how he would sit in court in the future.
The incident created panic and fear among judges, court staff and members of the public, the complainant said. He added that the incident was motivated by the previous day’s court decision regarding a stay order.
The Civil Lines police registered the FIR against the advocates under eight sections of the law, including Section 7 of the ATA and Sections 353, 324, 506(ii), 186, 147 and 149 of the PPC.
Meanwhile, lawyers protesting against the registration of the FIR staged a demonstration and took out a rally at the judicial complex on Wednesday, chanting slogans.
The protesters forced litigants to leave courtrooms, as no lawyer appeared before any court on Wednesday.
The protesters strongly condemned the registration of the FIR against a member of the Rawalpindi Bar Association and what they described as the police’s partial attitude.
The district bar announced a complete strike for October 21, 2026. Meanwhile, efforts to reach a settlement were underway, sources said.
Published in Dawn, October 22nd, 2026
