Some media savvy lawyers under a hidden agenda are bringing a bad name to the entire lawyers’ community by humiliating General (r) Pervez Musharraf and scuffling with his supporters, said Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Vice Chairman Syed Qalbe Hassan.
Such lawyers should restrain from quarrelling, he said. “Quarrelling with anyone is not the job of lawyers. We are educated people and we should follow the law, which provides equal rights to all political workers,” he said. The senior lawyer said the Supreme Court is hearing a high treason case against the former military dictator, so lawyers should leave the court to decide on the fate of Musharraf.
“We should show decency during his appearance in courts as he has a constitutional right to a fair trial,” Hassan said.
A senior lawyer of Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chaudhry Khalid seconded Hassan’s opinion. “No doubt, some young lawyers had a quarrel with All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) supporters. The representatives of IHC and district bar strongly condemn the incident which took place on Saturday. Being educated people, lawyers should respect the law,” he said.
However, he went on to say that APML workers are trying to tarnish the image of lawyers and wear black coats pretending to be lawyers. “Believe me, at an abandoned area near F-8 on Saturday, I myself witnessed APML workers wearing black coats. When such people turn violent it appears that lawyers are breaking the law,” Khalid said.
Former president IHC Bar Association Ashraf Gujjar, however, solely held APML responsible for all violent episodes that took place between lawyers and Muhsarraf’s supporters. He said everyday police produced hundreds of accused in various courts, but no such situation arises. “APML brought hired people on Musharraf’s hearing to chant pro-Musharraf and anti-judiciary slogans… In retaliation some young lawyers responded,” he said.
Such tactics by APML, he said, was an attempt to pressurise courts. “Let me assure you if Musharraf does not bring his supporters in courts, lawyers will not chant slogans against him and will not take the law into their hands. We believe in the supremacy of law,” he added.
On Saturday, during the hearing of former president Pervez Musharraf at district courts, lawyers violently treated some APML workers. Similarly, during Musharraf’s hearing in an anti-terrorism court in Rawalpindi, a scuffle broke out between APML workers and lawyers.