ISLAMABAD-The Islamabad High Court (IHC) Thursday initiated disciplinary proceedings against 21 lawyers for their alleged involvement in storming the judicial compound and issued notices to them. 
In this regard, a three-member larger bench of the IHC comprising Chief Justice of IHC Justice Athar Minallah, Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb and Justice Ms. Lubna Saleem Pervez conducted hearing of the complaint filed by the IHC Registrar. 
During the hearing, pursuant to letters, dated 15.02.2021 and 16.02.2021, of the Pakistan Bar Council and the Islamabad Bar Council respectively, the IHC Registrar placed before the court a report for initiating disciplinary proceedings against enrolled advocates under the Legal Practitioners and Bar Council Act 1973 read with the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Rules, 1976 and the Islamabad Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Rules, 2017. 
The IHC bench observed in its order that the Pakistan Bar Council, the apex regulatory body of enrolled advocates, has strongly condemned the grave incident of 8th of February, 2021. 
It added that since enrolled Advocates, all known to the respective Bars, were involved in the storming of the High Court and other grave acts of misconduct, therefore, before initiating disciplinary proceedings, this Court had brought the matter to the attention of the respective regulatory Councils. 
The bench further said that the confidence reposed by this Court in the respective regulatory Councils vide letter, dated 11.02.2021, has been responded to in consonance with the commitment of the Bar Council to uphold the dignity of the profession. 
The bench directed to send notices to the respondents through all modes. 
Those who have been arrested are directed to be served through the Superintendent, Central Prison Adiala. In addition to other modes, notices are directed to be sent to the Islamabad High Court Bar Association and the Islamabad District Bar Association for the purpose of being served on the respondents. 
The court issued notices to the lawyers including Naseer Ahmad Kayani, Tasadduq Hanif, Hammad Saeed Dar, Khalid Mehmood Khan, Ahsan Majeed Gujjar, Akhtar Hussain, Shaista Tabbasum, Asad Khan, Faiser Jadoon, Hafiz Malik Mazhar Javed, Khalid Taj, Naveed Hayat Malik, Nazia Abbasi, Nusrar Parveen, Zahid Mahmood Raja, Raja Amjad, Raja Khurram Farrukh, Younas Kayani, Muhammad Umar, Moin Bazai and Pir Fida. 
Later, it adjourned the hearing till February 25 for further proceedings in this matter and directed the respondents to submit their respective replies before the next date fixed.