Legal Fraternity Observes Strike Against Conviction Of Lawyer

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Legal fraternity observes strike against conviction of lawyer

The legal fraternity on Friday observed strike in protest against an anti-terrorism court (ATC) decision of handing down 18 years jail term to a lawyer for attacking a judge in Jaranwala

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th May, 2019 ) :The legal fraternity on Friday observed strike in protest against an anti-terrorism court (ATC) decision of handing down 18 years jail term to a lawyer for attacking a judge in Jaranwala.

The lawyers boycotted the court proceedings at sessions courts, civil courts and other subordinate courts on a call, given by the Punjab Bar Council. However, no boycott was observed at the Lahore High Court and the lawyers continued to appear in courts.

The strike seriously affected litigants, whose cases were adjourned due to non-availability of their counsel.

Meanwhile, a joint meeting of Pakistan Bar Council, Punjab Bar Council and Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) was held here to discuss the matter, with LHCBA President Hafeez-ur-Rehman Chaudhry in the chair.

The speakers questioned the sentence handed down by an ATC to Advocate Imran Munj in such a hasty manner without hearing the defence counsel. They said that the court gave an illegal decision and the lawyers community condemns it.

They demanded the LHC chief justice to suspend the decision by using his revisional powers; otherwise, a joint meeting would be held to decide the future course on May 28.

It is pertinent to mention that a Faisalabad ATC handed down 18-year imprisonment collectively to the accused lawyer under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), 324 and other sections of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), on Thursday.

Avocate Rana Imran Manj had hit Senior Civil Judge Khalid Mahmood Warraich with a chair at Jaranwala during the hearing of a case on April 25.