KHANEWAL, Oct 28: The Kabirwala Tehsil Bar Association vice-president has charged a tehsil court judge with committing professional dishonesty in a case concerning issuance of orders for registration of a case against some accused.

In an application sent to the Lahore High Court chief justice, Advocate Rana Shahzad Nadeem Sulehri stated that he had filed a writ petition on Oct 1, 2007 while pleading Ms Azra Bibi’s case for registering a case against a man who tried to assault her chastity. The judge ordered the Kabirwala city police SHO to submit a report in this regard.

On Oct 10, Advocate Shahzad said he again appeared in the court and the judge asked his client, Azra Bibi, to explain her ordeal. Ms Azra alleged highhandedness by some people and on the same day ASI Karam Shah, on behalf of the SHO, also presented a report which confirmed the woman’s version.

Shahzad further stated that the judge after having the report from the police asked Azra’s father to make a compromise with the accused on which he (the counsel) requested the judge that it was impossible to go for the patch-up. The accused, in the meantime, continued to threaten the victim and her family with dire consequences.

The same day, Shahzad said, he along with his clients, again appeared in court and told the judge that the accused instead of making a compromise were threatening the victims on which the judge started reading the police report aloud proving that the case was genuine. Later the judge, he said, asked the police why they didn’t register a case against the accused and the SHO assured him that he would institute a case within no time.

The judge, however, continued to make efforts for reconciliation between both the parties even asking the SHO to submit a new report about the case up to Nov 13 in case of failing to convince the two parties to bury the hatchet.

The lawyer said all his arguments to convince the judge of the need to register the case fell on deaf ears.

Advocate Shahzad, who is also in charge of free legal aid cell, attached with his application affidavit of a lawyer, a clerk and a deed writer.

VICTIMS’ EFFORTS: Meanwhile, Azra’s father Umar Daraz also has sent an application to the chief justice of Pakistan, seeking action against the accused.

He said accused Imtiaz alias Sanwali and Khurshid Mai on Sept 25 forcibly entered his home and the former tried to rape her, but her hue and cry saved her. He said he immediately contacted the district police officer and the SHO concerned to register the case, but all his efforts proved futile.

After that, he said, he knocked at the door of justice but the judge forced them to forgive the accused. “If denied justice, I will commit suicide in front of the Supreme Court building”, said the distressed man.
Source: Dawn
Date:10/29/2007