Islamabad:
The president of the Superior Court of the Capital had to clarify on Friday after different bars and lawyer organizations “condemned” their conduct during the hearing of a case regarding the elimination of the name of an activist of the rights of Baloch, Dr. Mahrang Baloch, of the output control list (ECL).
On Thursday, the president of the Superior Court of Islamabad (IHC), Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar, and Dr. Mahrang’s lawyer, Imaan Mazari, had participated in a verbal altercation during which the judge had warned the lawyer who could face contempt procedures.
“He must keep his mouth closed and remain within the limits,” he had told Mazari to the president of Justice, who had allegedly called Justice to tell “a dictator” in some other forum.
Imaan had insisted that his personal opinions were protected by freedom of expression and should not affect the case of his client. “I’m here with a [legal] Brief, not in a personal capacity. “
During the heated Supreme Court of Change, Dogar warned IMAAN on possible contempt procedures. Adding fuel to the fire, he had addressed the husband and the fellow lawyer of Imaan, lawyer Hadi Ali Chatta, and said: “Hadi Sahib, explicit it … if I catch her one day …”
Later, Imaan had led X to reiterate that he was present in the IHC on behalf of his client, not as “Imaan Mazari activist.” She emphasized that she was driving “according to the professional label (and a court should do the same)”.
On Friday, several law agencies issued statements of conviction with the Bar Association of the Superior Court of Lahore (LHCBA) demanding the elimination of justice to give their position.
In a press release, which Mazari shared in X, the LHCBA said that the president of the body, the vice president and secretary “condemn” the exchange of the judge to give with Mazari.
The statement said the lawyers were “officers[s] of the Court “and its respect and dignity should be prioritized as well as those of the respected judges who worked within the limits of the law and the Constitution.
The Karachi Lawyers Association (KBA) also issued a statement, “strongly condemning the highly inappropriate behavior” of Justice Dogar.
“The association indicates with deep concern that, instead of maintaining judicial dignity and impartiality, the president of the Supreme Court appealed to derogatory comments and threats of contempt procedures against the lawyer. Such behavior undermines the holiness of the judicial forums, intimidates the members of the Bar Association and is contrary to the principles of justice,” he said.
The Baluchistan Bar Association Council also issued a similar statement, asking the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) to justice to give their position. Separately, a group of lawyers also became signatories for a condemnation of the comments, qualifying them “sexist, threatening and improper of a judge.”
The statement said the judge’s comments “reflect a deeply patriarchal attitude, and threats are a source of concern. The purpose of contempt laws is to defend the administration of justice, not for the judges to have a sword on the law chief.”
During the hearing of a case on Friday, Judge Dogar clarified his comments, stating that Imaan Mazari was “like a daughter for him.” “Yesterday I advised her as old woman and as president of the Supreme Court, but my words were taken from context and was disproportionate,” he said.
The judge declared that he only warned him not to make personal comments about the judges, and denied having threatened to “catch her.” He added that when he mentioned the contempt procedures, it was only because the repeated challenge could damage his career.
