In the greater public interest allow me to voice my recent experience in a complaint against misconduct of advocates at the Sindh Bar Council which turned out to be shockingly disappointing. I would not be wrong in saying that the Council seems to act as a sanctuary for supporting lawyers of misconduct by evidently acting as something above the Law. To my shock the Presiding Officer acted like an SHO who would lock up a complainant if he went to his thana with a complaint. What may be generally expected of the police could be observed at the Bar council where all sorts of illegalities are committed. Complainants are not heard while the accused advocate is rendered full unethical, technical and illegal support and exhortation to move ahead his way: the reason seemingly being they want to win their votes in next elections. In my case the accused lawyer played foul trick by not submitting to court 40 annexure with his written statement to which the complainant objected but the presiding officer blatantly remarked those were not needed by him! To my amazement and shock how on earth he was going to exercise justice without those annexure which form the basis of the case; and how on earth the complainant be placed in the right position to rebut the written statement without them without perusing through their health and genuineness? Such being the case the presiding officer acted illegally in suppressing evidence and blatantly dismissed my plaint but the story doesn’t end here. To my shock I noted that before the date of hearing the secretary of the Council had issued an antedated directive to the police that I along with my non-party attendant were harassing the accused advocates! No written order was pronounced nor present in the court record. However, it was noted in the record that matter be forwarded to the Executive Committee for adjudication and the same was also ordered by the presiding officer in the previous hearing. But it was utterly disgusting to note how swiftly and illegally the “judge””changed his Order! On top of it the Secretary council acted in excess of his powers by issuing an illegal partisan and biased directive to the police against the complainant. I would appeal to the Chief Justice and the champions of judiciary to bring good reforms in the Bar councils and induct better ethics among lawyers. Unless this is done there would be little hope of eliminating black sheep from he judiciary and dispensing justice.
Mazhar Butt
Karachi