LAHORE - The Executive Committee of the Punjab Bar Council (PBC) on Friday directed SHO Civil Lines to register a case against Muhammad Arshad Rana, Advocate, on account of his misconduct.
The PBC had suspended his licence to practice as a lawyer but despite the suspension of the licence, he continued appearing in courts.
Mrs. Ishrat Aara Advocate and Muhammad Saeed alongwith a large number of people had moved PBC against the said lawyer for misconduct.
Arshad Rana Advocate had also filed more than 100 applications in the PBC which were dismissed as they were found baseless and unfounded.
The PBC in its decision had termed the Advocate habitual in filing false and frivolous petitions against innocent persons as well as legal fraternity in order to blackmail and extort money.
PBC had warned the said Advocate several times to be careful.
He is also accused of misbehaving with lady lawyers in Kasur and creating a scene in the premises of PBC.
Ex-minister’s bail extended
The Lahore High Court on Friday extended the interim-bail till October 8 granted to former Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Ghulam Sarwar who is facing charges of securing graduation degree on the basis of a fake intermediate certificate.
Justice Mazhar Ali Akbar Naqvi adjourned hearing of the bail application of the ex-minister, as the prosecutor general could not appear before the court. The justice also ordered the applicant to produce his education record.
The Anti-Corruption Establishment had lodged a case against Ghulam Sarwar for obtaining a fake degree of F.A. to appear in B.A. examination to meet the graduation condition in 2008 General Elections.
It was alleged that Ghulam Sarwar son of Muhammad Hayyat obtained a duplicate diploma originally issued to another candidate of namesake whose father’s name was Abdul Hameed Khan. Ghulam Sarwar used the duplicate diploma for appearing in graduation examinations and obtained BA degree eventually.
The ACE had lodged a case against accused Ghulam Sarwar, former chairman of Punjab Board of Technical Education, its secretary and two other officials for issuing the duplicate diploma unlawfully.
Counsel of the accused argued that the case registered by the ACE was aimed at political victimisation, as the petitioner had nothing to do with the allegations. He had said that the ex-minister had a valid degree but the university was trying to cancel it without any legal justification.
He said that the Punjab Board of Technical Education had no authority to cancel the diploma. The counsel also submitted that the applicant had been elected twice as member of the parliament on the basis of his educational certificate but the government had implicated him in a fake case on account of political victimisation. He requested the court to extend the interim bail earlier granted to his client.
Prosecutor General Sadaqat Ali while opposing the application said that the former parliamentarian was declared failed in a practical text of his diploma but he got NOC with the connivance of PBTE’s employees. He said that the applicant had attached the same NOC to get admission in B.A. He said the crime committed by the former minister had been established, so he did not deserve concession of bail.
Vacancies of judges
The Lahore High Court on Friday sought more arguments till October 22nd on maintainability of a petition seeking a criterion of written examination and interview to fill the vacancies of judges for superior courts.
The court also appointed lawyer Shehzad Shaukat as amicus curie to assist on this issue.
A Deputy Attorney General sought more time to file reply to the petition.
The petition was moved on behalf of the Lawyers Foundation through its President Syed Feroz Shah Gilani.
The petitioners counsel Malik Tariq Aziz, AK Dogar and other counsel had already advanced detailed arguments.
Counsel submitted that the appointment of judges should not be made through supreme judicial council.
He said that the existing procedure of judge’s appointment was based on a policy of pick and choose and in sheer violation of fundamental rights of eligible candidates.
He alleged that prevalent mode of appointment is promoting favouritism and nepotism and only persons from a particular class were elevated.
He said that this method should be changed and open applications should be invited through Press advertisements for appointment of the superior courts judges. He submitted that the written examination, interview and physiological test should be made mandatory for the candidates.
He said the judges appointment should be made as it was done in England. He requested to annul the impugned procedure for appointment of judges being ultra vires to many provisions of the Constitution.