Never before in the history of Pakistan has our superior judiciary been seen to be more independent collectively and enjoyed credibility as it is seen today.
This moral high ground of the superior judiciary places a lot of responsibility on its shoulders. While the relations between the Bench and the Bar must be good, the Bench should ensure that they are not seen to be submitting to coercion of few rogue pressure groups within the lawyers community.
Pakistani electronic media reports telecasted today reveal that a lawyer in the Lahore High Court has misbehaved with none other than the Chief Justice of that court during the proceedings of a NAB corruption case.
This tendency of few lawyers to flout the law and abuse their professional ethics should be curbed with an iron hand. While it is acceptable that even criminals have a right to defence by their counsels, this defence should remain within confines of law.
Incidences where few lawyers have played a role in letting convicts escape arrest from within court premises should have led to strict censure by Bar Council, which unfortunately has not happened. Reports also suggest a nefarious practice by few lawyers who are involved in fabricating false cases to be used as a pressure tactic in family cases following divorces or property cases filed by widows.
The movement for restoration of independent judiciary has given a lot of media coverage and prominence to those within the lawyers community who played a lead role. Some of these so-called branded lawyers have become active to make a bonanza by acting as counsel for those who have robbed the state of billions and brought the country not only into disrepute but are a major cause for our financial crisis.
The judiciary must not allow this perception to gain ground that it is prone to be subject to their pressures and ensure that those involved in robbing the state or evading taxes are not allowed to get away on technicalities by seeking adjournments on flimsy grounds such as the busy schedules of these branded lawyers.
People of Pakistan and the Pakistani expatriate community have placed a lot of hopes on the role of our judiciary to provide justice to the unfortunate victims of greed and harassment at the hands of powerful elite rogue elements.
SYED IJAZ
Texas, USA