Height of injustice

How can our judiciary stand up for the law and preserve justice if lawyers tend to form a ‘cartel’ and refuse to accept cases filed by the public against lawyers? It is unfortunate that there is no law to curb this unfair and self-serving monopolistic act against the practising lawyers. It is beyond doubt that the judges who were once lawyers themselves know this fact but have done nothing to curb this malaise. The lawyers’ quasi-judicial forum – the Pakistan Bars Council – exists. But it is observed to be a partial and partisan body inclined towards the interest of the lawyers. The reason for this is that presiding officers at the bar council are not inclined to disenchant the accused lawyers for fear of losing votes from other lawyer lobbies and groups.       

It is time that our judiciary and parliament take note of this and promulgated a law forbidding lawyers from making illegal pacts and forming ‘cartels’ against aggrieved persons. As the high court judges have discretionary powers to consider complaints against lawyers and more so because they have no electoral vested interests, such complaints should also be heard by them to ensure the fair application of law and uphold justice.

Mazhar Butt

Karachi