LAHORE - The Lahore High Court Bar Association on Wednesday strongly condemned registration of a criminal case against senior lawyer Salman Akram Raja on the complaint of Justice Jawwad S Khawaja of the Supreme Court, demanding immediate withdrawal of the FIR and resignations from Justice Khawaja and Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry.
An emergency meeting of the LHCBA’s general house, attended by a large number of lawyers, was convened on Wednesday to vote on a resolution tabled by its president, Abid Saqi. The Bar secretary invited Abid Saqi to read out the resolution. The house passed the resolution with a thumping majority. “The Lahore High Court Bar Association condemns registration of a frivolous case against Salman Akram Raja, a senior lawyer,” the resolution says. It adds, “The FIR against Raja has been filed at the behest of Justice Jawad S Khawaja and ordered personally by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. This is a clear misuse of powers by the judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Raja is currently representing the family of Justice Khawaja’s sister in a case against his wife. By getting this FIR registered, Justice Khawaja and Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry have misused their official positions.”
The resolution further says: “The actions of Justice Khawaja and Chief Justice Chaudhry amount to gross misconduct and are a sheer violation of the Code of Conduct applicable to judges of the superior courts. Justice Khawaja has attempted to stop a counsel from performing his professional duty.”
The Bar resolved to stand by Salman Akram Raja and demanded immediate withdrawal of this frivolous case filed against him. It also warned that any attempt to arrest Salman Raja would meet the stiffest resistance from the members of the Bar. LHCBA Vice President Ch Ghulam Sarwar Nihung, Secretary Baleegh-uz-Zaman Chaudhry and Finance Secretary Usman Sher Gondal were also present on the occasion.