LAHORE (Muhammad Ashfaq) – Bar office bearers urged the Lahore High Court Chief Justice to take notice of the scheduling of cases of suspended bar President Babar Murtaza, questioning why his cases are still being fixed for hearing despite his suspension.
Vice Chairman of Punjab Bar Council Khawaja Qaiser Butt and Executive Committee Chairman Fakhar Hayat Awan have stated that all bar associations across the province, including the Lahore High Court Bar Association, district bars, and tehsil bars, fall under the jurisdiction of the Punjab Bar Council.
Addressing a joint press conference, they emphasized that all matters related to bar associations—including elections, licensing, enrollment, discipline, professional ethics, and election petition appeals—are solely handled by the Punjab Bar Council, and no bar association has the authority to act independently in these areas.
The leaders alleged that during a Lahore High Court Bar meeting on March 3, inappropriate language was used against Chief Justice Aalia Neelum, which they strongly condemned, stating that any attempt to undermine the dignity of the judiciary is unacceptable.
They further revealed that serious irregularities were reported in the Lahore High Court Bar elections held on February 28, leading the Punjab Bar Council to suspend the elections. Licenses of the bar president and the election board chairman have also been suspended, while related appeals are currently under hearing.
Expressing concern, they said certain office-bearers of Lahore High Court Bar and Lahore Bar had ignored the council’s directives and exceeded their authority, prompting legal action. Some lawyers’ cases have also been referred to the Pakistan Bar Council.
During a Punjab Bar Council general house meeting attended by members from across the province, various matters were reviewed in detail and several measures were approved for the welfare of lawyers.