When Justice Isa was deliberating a case of gas theft costing a local factory more about Rs67 million, he made these comments. The trial court’s order indicated that lawyers were to appear before the court two to three times owing to strikes; this caused lawyers to incur the wrath of the top judge during the proceedings.
“How are lawyers able to walk out? Such lawyers’ licences ought to be suspended. The lawyers who make up this code of conduct do not adhere to it, the chief court judge continued. He suggested that judges who issue orders for lawyers to go on strike should be removed.
Justice Isa complained that he was not informed of the purpose of the attorneys’ observation of strikes. Should the court come to the homes of the attorneys? Everyone goes on his own strike. Such a judicial system ought to be abolished, he argued.
He claimed that if everyone did their part, the system of the nation could be changed. He said that the lawyers themselves created the code of behaviour, not the courts or the legislature.
“We follow the Constitution and law in the court, but the Almighty Allah administers justice,” he continued.
The appeal submitted by the factory was denied by a two-judge panel of the supreme court, led by Justice Isa.
