Conduct of govt lawyers condemnable: PAT lawyers

After the hearing of intra-court appeal filed by the Punjab government against the decision of the single-member bench of Lahore High Court ordering the Home Secretary to make Justice Najfi Commission report public, the team of PAT lawyers namely Khawaja Tariq Raheem, Ali Zafar Advocate, Naeem-ud-Din Chaudhry Advocate, and Ishtiaq Ch Advocate talked to media and said that the full bench of LHC did not issue a stay order on the appeal of the Punjab government and proceedings of the case will commence on Monday on daily basis.

In reply to a question, Khawaja Tariq Raheem said that the single member bench gave the decision to make the report public in the light of Article 19-A and humiliating tone and tenor adopted by the government lawyers towards the honorable judge is not only condemnable but also accountable to say the least. He said that the government lawyers gave highly objectionable remarks, which expose their mindset. He said that we would respond to these objections on Monday. He said that it is expected of the lawyers to be civilized in their conduct and demeanour.

Khawaja Tariq Raheem said that the Model Town tragedy is a case of fundamental human rights. He said that government agency killed 14 civilians in broad daylight and established a judicial commission to probe the killings. After the report was furnished by the commission, the government is reluctant to release the report.

Talking on the occasion, Ali Zafar Advocate said that the Punjab government prayed to the court to suspend the order of the single member bench which was not granted. He said that the hearing of the case will begin on Monday.

PAT Secretary General Khurram Nawaz Gandapur spoke to the media and stated that we saw the moral bankruptcy of the government lawyers today. He said that they used such words as ‘biased’ for the judge who passed verdict solely on justice and fair play, which is hugely condemnable to say the least. He said that the courts give decision on the basis of law and constitution. He said that we fought our legal case before the full bench of LHC for three years but did not even think of using such words about the court.

The PAT Secretary General said that we fought our legal case for three years with patience. We neither took law in our hands nor ran a campaign against judiciary. He said that the government lawyers who are representing the perpetrators of the Model Town tragedy should keep the moral, civil and professional values in view. He said that the rulers are there for a certain period and their days are already numbered while the institutions are there to stay. He said that the whole Law Department had joined their forces and used every trick in the book against the oppressed and the orphans of the Model Town.

Khurram Nawaz Gandapur said that the office of the Advocate General draws heavy salaries and privileges from the taxpayers’ money to help the courts, establish rule of law and provision of justice to the poor. It is not meant to please the rulers.

Other PAT lawyers and leaders were also present on the occasion.