This is in reference to reports about conference organised by Supreme Court Bar Association at Lahore. The judiciary has a very different role to perform and its objective to deliver justice to victims of abuse by state or individuals is at variance with role of lawyers who are engaged even by criminals to protect them from punishments, relying often on technicalities for seeking delays. There are very few lawyers who have followed noble examples laid down by prominent icons like Quaid-e-Azam Mohd Ali Jinnah, Allama Iqbal or even Mohandas Gandhi. Where were all the prominent members of Bar when murderers of Shazeb, Hamza etc were being facilitated and thousands of containers loaded with weapons went missing?
The whole country has seen the manner in which accused Ayyan Ali, caught red handed in smuggling of currency, has had her indictment delayed by her lawyers and the manner in which murder of Custom Officer has been sidelined. Hundreds of police officers have been killed in Karachi and minor children subjected to rape but not a single prominent lawyer with the support of Bar has been seen protecting weak or making an attempt to restore the rule of law in Pakistan. Not a single high profile criminal involved in illegal occupation of state and private owned land has been convicted because of role of prominent lawyers charging exorbitant fee, paid from black money by these mafias.
When a former Chief Justice of Pakistan wanted to expedite trial of leading land mafia don in a case where thousands of acres of land belonged to Punjab government, he was rebuked, humiliated and even denied traditional farewell dinner; it amounted to taking law in your hand. This former Chief Justice was only trying to expedite delivery of justice because he believed that ‘justice delayed is justice denied’. What action has Bar taken against few of their members who have assumed role of consiglieres for numerous criminal mafia dons and high profile white criminals who have done more harm to this country than our worst enemy?
ALI MALIK
Lahore
