FAISALABAD, March 19: Civil judges in district courts suspended their official work on Monday after one of their colleagues was manhandled and abused by a lawyer in the courtroom.

The issue came to light when Civil Judge Azhar Ali cancelled the bail application of an accused and his counsel Mohsin Naveed challenged the decision through physical assault on the judge.

Other lawyers present around intervened and took Mr Naveed out of the courtroom.

The judge suspended the court and reported the matter to the senior civil judge and other colleagues and they also suspended their courts to protest the lawyer’s conduct.

Bar secretary Khushal Gujar told Dawn he had suspended the membership of Mr Naveed and that a five-member committee, led by bar president Munawar Sandhu, had also been formed to submit its recommendation to the Punjab Bar Council for the cancellation of the lawyer’s licence.

He said judges had called off their strike following the DBA action.

The manhandling of judges by lawyers is fast becoming a norm in Punjab. On Thursday last, 24 judges of the subordinate judiciary in Lahore refused to work due to blackmailing of some lawyer groups. They also demanded for their transfer out of Lahore.

On April 5, 2011, two lawyers Tanvir and Abid tortured Judicial Magistrate Rehmat Ali over the motorcycle challan issue.

In March 2010, Civil Judge Tariq Kahot was tortured by lawyer Liaquat Javed when the judge gave an “adverse” judgment on a rent dispute.