ISLAMABAD: Lawyer Rana Ijaz of the defence team of retired General Pervez Musharraf has once again shocked the special court hearing the high treason case against the former president and army chief by his virulent attacks on the judges and was expelled from the courtroom.
His presumptuous attack on the presiding judge, Justice Faisal Arab, on Tuesday surpassed his theatrics of February 21 when he accused the judges of playing the role of hired assassins, and of March 4 when he warned of terror attacks on them and some lawyers he did not identify.
“We don’t want to listen (or hear) to this nonsense,” said Justice Arab as lawyer Ijaz suddenly took the rostrum after a break in the proceedings and launched into a harangue that he had received “life threats from Lyari Gang” and presumed that Justice Arab was behind them.
But Rana Ijaz, a law minister of Punjab during the Musharraf regime, continued unmoved.
“I received a message on my cellphone from Lyari Gang and they threatened to eliminate me as I remain impolite for Justice Arab.”
Then came the plea caper of the law minister of Punjab during the Musharraf era: “Since I have been threatened because of Justice Arab, a criminal case should be registered against My Lord.”
“We don’t want to listen to you as we are fed up,” responded visibly disturbed Justice Arab who asked the security personnel to remove the lawyer from the courtroom.
Strangely, none stood up to carry out the judge’s order, and advocate Ijaz continued with his harangue.
“You may send me to jail. I am ready to face imprisonment. I am ready to face the consequences of any threat,” he roared.
“Where is the security,” asked the judge, and a security official in plain clothes was seen rising and whispering in the ear of Assistant Inspector General Waqar Chohan of the special branch of police who seemed to say ‘wait’.
Uneasiness grew in the courtroom and AIG Chohan finally signaled his men to take out the continuously babbling lawyer.
But more drama was in store for the people in the courtroom when his men moved in. Other defence team members jumped in warning that their mate could not be touched because he was an officer of the court.
That made the advancing policemen stop and look at AIG Chohan as if asking their commander ‘what now?’
Pat came the reply: “Why are you hesitating? Haven’t you heard the court’s order?”
Still the drama did not end.
Defence lawyers offered to lead their colleague out and Justice Arab agreed to that but with the statement, “He needs to tender an apology; otherwise we will issue contempt notice”.
Recalcitrant lawyer Ijaz did look frightened with that prospect as he was heard shouting while being led out of the courtroom: “This is not a court; it is rather a slaughter house”.
Composed Justice Arab, however, had the last word.
“An advocate is supposed to represent his client. We don’t expect that Gen Musharraf ever advised him to do so,” he said.
“A lawyer needs to confine himself to arguments. In my nine years career as judge, I have never seen this sort of conduct from a lawyer.”
