AS the Supreme Court bench, headed by the chief justice of Pakistan, was hearing the review against the decision on the defection clause of Article 63-A, a very unpleasant episode took place. A so-called ‘lawyer’ came to the rostrum to argue the case. As he had no formal authorisation to plead the case, the chief justice asked him to sit down.

The said lawyer, a retired employee of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), lost his cool and threatened the chief justice that 500 lawyers were present outside the court who would not let the bench pass any judgment that was not acceptable to the party concerned.

The chief justice then directed the police to remove the lawyer from the court. I believe the chief justice showed unusual magnanimity to the lawyer, in line with his practice of not issuing contempt notices to people who insult his person.

I, however, believe that the lawyer concerned should have been sent straight to jail for contempt of court. His licence to practice law should also have been revoked. The lawyer’s behaviour was symptomatic of the party he was suppo-sedly representing which is known for insulting as well as undermining the authority of all institutions which it perceives to be against its leaership.

Akbar Jan Marwat
Islamabad

Published in Dawn, October 11th, 2024