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IHC issues show-cause notice to bar association secretary for 'misconduct and contempt'
December 12, 2019
IHC Bar Association Secretary Muhammad Umair Baloch 's legal licence to practice before IHC has also been cancelled until his next appearance. — Video screengrab
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday issued a show-cause notice to IHC Bar Association Secretary Muhammad Umair Baloch for "professional misconduct and contempt".
The high court also suspended Baloch's licence "to practice before [IHC]" until the next hearing, which will be held on December 19.
Baloch was reported to have been forcing lawyers not to appear before judges as the high court's bar association was observing a strike against alleged offences against the legal fraternity in Lahore a day earlier.
On Wednesday, lawyers had staged a violent protest at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) apparently on a mission to avenge a group of lawyers, who had been beaten up at the PIC a few weeks ago, soon after some video clips went viral on social media showing some doctors making fun of the lawyers while recalling the incident.
The outraged attackers, mostly young faces dressed in black suits and sporting neckties, spared no one present on hospital premises, where several serious cardiac patients are under treatment at any given time. The situation worsened when a mob stormed into the emergency department, seemingly in search of some doctors. In view of the approaching danger, the doctors fled the scene.
As the condition of some critical patients deteriorated in the absence of doctors, three PIC patients, including a girl and an elderly woman, passed away.
The court, in its notice today, noted that Baloch was "forcing the learned advocates to leave the court".
"He continued doing so when the court proceedings commenced. He was asked to refrain from disturbing the proceedings and undermining the decorum of the court," the notice read.
"In response, he came to the rostrum and in a tone unbecoming of an enrolled advocate, he stated that instead of stopping him, the judges should encourage the strike."
The court's notice further said that other IHC judges had also reported that Baloch "interfered with court proceedings".
"The aforementioned acts also amounted to depriving the litigants from the right of access to justice."
Baloch, while talking to a reporter, said that IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah had told him not to observe a strike in the high court, to which the advocate responded: "When you (the judge) observed strikes and we used to be your followers, it was acceptable. Now it is not?"
Awais Yousaf Zai@awaisReporter
https://twitter.com/awaisReporter/status/1205012715296694273
میڈیا وکلا اور ڈاکٹرز تنازعہ کی ون سائیڈڈ کوریج نہ کرے اور زخمی وکلا کو بھی دکھائے ورنہ میڈیا کے ہائی کورٹ داخلے پر پابندی لگا دوں گا، جنرل سیکرٹری اسلام آباد ہائی کورٹ بار ایسوسی ایشن عمیر بلوچ کی وارننگ#LawyersBrutality
#LawyersAttackedPIC #PICunderattack #PICAttack
e insisted that the lawyers were holding a "peaceful protest" but were "attacked" by the doctors. He went on to say that the lawyers' reaction was in "self-defence".
He also criticised the media for "one-sided" coverage and warned that he will "impose restrictions" over journalists' entry in the IHC.
"As a general secretary, I am warning the media that if they continue with their one-sided coverage, I will bar you from the Islamabad High Court," he said.
December 12, 2019
IHC Bar Association Secretary Muhammad Umair Baloch 's legal licence to practice before IHC has also been cancelled until his next appearance. — Video screengrab
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday issued a show-cause notice to IHC Bar Association Secretary Muhammad Umair Baloch for "professional misconduct and contempt".
The high court also suspended Baloch's licence "to practice before [IHC]" until the next hearing, which will be held on December 19.
Baloch was reported to have been forcing lawyers not to appear before judges as the high court's bar association was observing a strike against alleged offences against the legal fraternity in Lahore a day earlier.
On Wednesday, lawyers had staged a violent protest at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) apparently on a mission to avenge a group of lawyers, who had been beaten up at the PIC a few weeks ago, soon after some video clips went viral on social media showing some doctors making fun of the lawyers while recalling the incident.
The outraged attackers, mostly young faces dressed in black suits and sporting neckties, spared no one present on hospital premises, where several serious cardiac patients are under treatment at any given time. The situation worsened when a mob stormed into the emergency department, seemingly in search of some doctors. In view of the approaching danger, the doctors fled the scene.
As the condition of some critical patients deteriorated in the absence of doctors, three PIC patients, including a girl and an elderly woman, passed away.
The court, in its notice today, noted that Baloch was "forcing the learned advocates to leave the court".
"He continued doing so when the court proceedings commenced. He was asked to refrain from disturbing the proceedings and undermining the decorum of the court," the notice read.
"In response, he came to the rostrum and in a tone unbecoming of an enrolled advocate, he stated that instead of stopping him, the judges should encourage the strike."
The court's notice further said that other IHC judges had also reported that Baloch "interfered with court proceedings".
"The aforementioned acts also amounted to depriving the litigants from the right of access to justice."
Baloch, while talking to a reporter, said that IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah had told him not to observe a strike in the high court, to which the advocate responded: "When you (the judge) observed strikes and we used to be your followers, it was acceptable. Now it is not?"
Awais Yousaf Zai@awaisReporter
https://twitter.com/awaisReporter/status/1205012715296694273
میڈیا وکلا اور ڈاکٹرز تنازعہ کی ون سائیڈڈ کوریج نہ کرے اور زخمی وکلا کو بھی دکھائے ورنہ میڈیا کے ہائی کورٹ داخلے پر پابندی لگا دوں گا، جنرل سیکرٹری اسلام آباد ہائی کورٹ بار ایسوسی ایشن عمیر بلوچ کی وارننگ#LawyersBrutality
#LawyersAttackedPIC #PICunderattack #PICAttack
e insisted that the lawyers were holding a "peaceful protest" but were "attacked" by the doctors. He went on to say that the lawyers' reaction was in "self-defence".
He also criticised the media for "one-sided" coverage and warned that he will "impose restrictions" over journalists' entry in the IHC.
"As a general secretary, I am warning the media that if they continue with their one-sided coverage, I will bar you from the Islamabad High Court," he said.
