Leaders of the Punjab Bar Council contest the suspended bar office bearer’s case listings.

Bar office bearers questioned why suspended bar president Babar Murtaza’s cases are still scheduled for hearing and urged the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court to take note.

According to Executive Committee Chairman Fakhar Hayat Awan and Punjab Bar Council Vice Chairman Khawaja Qaiser Butt, the Punjab Bar Council has jurisdiction over all bar associations in the province, including district bars, tehsil bars, and the Lahore High Court Bar Association.

Speaking at a joint press conference, they stressed that the Punjab Bar Council is the exclusive authority to handle all issues pertaining to bar associations, including elections, licensing, enrolment, discipline, professional ethics, and appeals of election petitions. No bar association has the power to act independently in these areas.

Inappropriate language was allegedly used against Chief Justice Aalia Neelum during a meeting of the Lahore High Court Bar on March 3. The leaders vehemently denounced this, saying that any attempt to diminish the dignity of the court is unacceptable.

They further disclosed that the Punjab Bar Council suspended the February 28 Lahore High Court Bar elections due to significant irregularities that were reported. The chairman of the election board and the president of the bar have also had their licenses suspended, and associated appeals are presently being heard.

They expressed worry, claiming that some Lahore High Court Bar and Lahore Bar office-bearers had disregarded the council’s orders and overreached themselves, leading to legal action. Cases involving certain solicitors have also been submitted to the Pakistan Bar Council.

Members from all around the province attended a general house meeting of the Punjab Bar Council, where a number of measures for the welfare of attorneys were passed and numerous issues were thoroughly reviewed.