| Case ID |
25097ebf-002d-418e-91b8-01ea53ea2cbd |
| Body |
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| Case Number |
Criminal Original No. 23 of 2000 |
| Decision Date |
Jul 18, 2000 |
| Hearing Date |
Jul 18, 2000 |
| Decision |
The Lahore High Court found Afaq Ahmad, Advocate guilty of contempt of court for tearing up the cause list and physically assaulting the Reader of the Court. The Court sentenced him until the rising of the Court and suspended his license to practice law, referring his case to the Provincial Bar Council for further action under the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act, 1973. The Court emphasized that such behavior undermines the dignity of the judiciary and the administration of justice. |
| Summary |
In the case of Criminal Original No. 23 of 2000, the Lahore High Court dealt with a serious incident of contempt of court involving Advocate Muhammad Afaq. The case stemmed from an altercation where Afaq physically assaulted the Court Reader and tore the cause list displayed outside the courtroom. This conduct was deemed a significant obstruction to the administration of justice, prompting the Court to invoke its powers under the Contempt of Court Act, 1976. The judges highlighted that every form of interference in the judicial process is contemptuous, and the act of damaging court property is unacceptable for any legal practitioner. Afaq's subsequent unqualified apology was considered, but it did not absolve him from the consequences of his actions. The decision reinforced the importance of maintaining respect for the court and its processes, ensuring that such incidents are dealt with stringently to uphold the rule of law and the integrity of the legal profession. The case serves as a critical reminder of the responsibilities of advocates in their conduct within the judicial system. |
| Court |
Lahore High Court
|
| Entities Involved |
Not available
|
| Judges |
TANVIR AHMAD KHAN,
MALIK MUHAMMAD QAYYUM,
KHALIL-UR-REHMAN RAMDAY
|
| Lawyers |
Dr. Ijaz Ahmad Ch., Addl. A.G. for the State,
Dr. Hameed Ahmad Ayaz for Respondent
|
| Petitioners |
THE STATE
|
| Respondents |
MUHAMMAD AFAQ
|
| Citations |
2000 SLD 2193,
2000 PLD 623
|
| Other Citations |
Dr. Aijaz Hassan Qureshi v. Judge of the High Court, Lahore PLD 1973 Lah. 778,
Ashfaque Ahmad Sheikh v. The State PLD 1972 SC 39
|
| Laws Involved |
Contempt of Court Act, 1976,
Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act, 1973,
Constitution of Pakistan, 1973
|
| Sections |
3,
54,
41,
204
|