LHC orders police protection for businessman pursuing case against lawyers

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) Multan Bench has directed local police to provide security to a businessman who says he wants to seek criminal proceedings against office-bearers of the District Bar Association, Multan, so he can appear safely before the ex-officio justice of peace.

Justice Sadiq Mahmud Khurram issued the order during June 17 proceedings on a petition filed by Farooq Ahmad Bhatti against the city police officer and seven others. Bhatti appeared before the court in person. Also present at the hearing were District Bar Association general secretary Malik Sadaat Hussain, a government law officer and counsel for the association.

According to the petition, Bhatti told the court he intended to move an application under Sections 22-A and 22-B of the Criminal Procedure Code before the ex-officio justice of peace for the registration of a case against bar representatives. He said the dispute involved the district bar association and that this created a genuine risk to his safety. He asked the high court to intervene so he could present his case before the lower forum without fear.

Taking note of the security concerns, Justice Khurram disposed of the writ petition and instructed the station house officer of Chehlyak police station in Multan to ensure Bhatti’s safety during his appearances before the ex-officio justice of peace. The judge also told the SHO to remain in contact with the petitioner and make sure his appearances could take place with proper protection in place.

The court further directed the ex-officio justice of peace to decide Bhatti’s intended application independently and strictly on merit after it is filed, without being influenced in any manner.

Contract dispute and allegations

Bhatti, who runs an advertising business, told the court that he had entered into an agreement with the District Bar Association in 2016 for the installation of four hoarding boards in the Multan district courts. He alleged that the bar’s cabinet breached the agreement and allowed only two hoardings to be installed in return for annual rent.

He further alleged that bar office-bearers later took unlawful possession of the installed hoardings, interfered with his business and repeatedly demanded bribes. Bhatti also claimed that the occupied boards were then rented out by the bar leadership itself to extract money.

The businessman has been litigating in different courts to recover both his money and the billboard structures. Last year, a special judge (rent) ruled that representatives of the Multan District Bar Association had no legal ownership or authority over the district court land where the hoardings had been placed. The judge held that the land belonged to the Lahore High Court and that ownership vested in the government of Punjab.