ISLAMABAD: The lawyers affiliated with the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) and the leadership of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) clashed on Friday within the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC).
The incident began with a heated exchange between the PTI lawyers and IHCBA President Wajid Gilani, who faced vocal protests and sloganeering. Following that untoward incident, Bar President Gilani, Secretary Manzoor Ahmed, and the Vice Chairman of the Islamabad Bar Council addressed a news conference to condemn the incident.
IHCBA President Wajid Gilani stated that as he and the secretary exited a court, they were met by a group of PTI lawyers shouting slogans “against the institutions of Pakistan and inciting violence.” He categorically denied any partisan bias, asserting, “Our Islamabad High Court Bar has no personal agenda... to stand with any party or judge.”
Gilani named specific individuals, claiming that advocates Intizar Panjotha, Naeem Panjotha, and Fatehullah Barki attacked him. He alleged that Intizar Panjotha was armed with a pistol and that he was verbally abused and called a “traitor.” He also accused advocates Iman Mazari and Zainab Janjua of raising slogans against the country’s integrity.
“Traitors are those who start defaming the army by using the word ‘boots’,” Gilani remarked, emphasizing his support for all judges of the IHC.
The bar leadership announced severe consequences for the lawyers involved. Secretary Manzoor Ahmed declared that “terrorism cases will be registered against the lawyers who were involved in today’s incident.” Furthermore, he stated that the bar would apply to the Bar Council to have the licenses of the accused lawyers cancelled.
Secretary Manzoor Ahmed referenced the case of Justice Tariq Jahangiri — a former bar member - and demanded a swift decision on his pending degree issue, warning that “no one should become a tout of judges.”
The Vice Chairman of the Islamabad Bar Council confirmed this course of action, stating that those who attacked the president and secretary would be barred from entering the high court and that their licenses would be suspended immediately upon receipt of a formal request.
In this connection, Naseer Kayani issued a clear warning: “No one should fulfill their personal agenda regarding Tariq Jahangiri’s case... if anyone wants to do so, we will not allow it.”
The IHCBA president concluded by demanding that those involved in the assault “brought to justice.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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