LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday adjourned until January 6 the hearing of a petition challenging the suspension of advocate Mian Ali Ashfaq’s licence by the Punjab Bar Council.
The petition came up for hearing before Justice Malik Awais Khalid, where the petitioner’s counsel, including Shahzaib Mirza, appeared before the court. The bench issued notices to the vice chairman of the Punjab Bar Council and sought the relevant record of the case. A separate notice was also issued on the petitioner’s plea for interim relief.
During the proceedings, the court observed that the petitioner’s licence appeared to have been suspended without issuing a prior show-cause notice or providing an opportunity of being heard, questioning whether such action could be taken without following due process.
Counsel representing the Punjab Bar Council argued that the petition was not maintainable, contending that the petitioner should have approached the appropriate forum for redress.
The petitioner’s counsel maintained that while proceedings could be initiated against a lawyer upon receipt of a complaint, the executive committee lacked the authority to suspend a licence, arguing that such powers were vested exclusively in the Punjab Bar Council’s tribunal.
The court was also reminded that it had earlier directed the petitioner to implead the Karachi Bar Association as a respondent in the case.
Mian Ali Ashfaq, who is legal counsel for YouTuber Rajab Butt, has challenged the suspension order, terming it factually incorrect and unlawful. He requested the court to set aside the Punjab Bar Council’s decision and restore his licence.
However, the court declined to grant immediate relief and rejected the plea for restoration at this stage, adjourning further proceedings until January 6.
