September 22, 2025
By Rana Malhi
ISLAMABAD
On Friday, when lawyers of the Islamabad High Court protested the decision to bar Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri from performing his judicial duties, a scuffle ensued between two lawyer groups. IHC Bar Court Association President Wajid Gilani logded a complaint and a First Information Report (FIR) soon followed.
On Monday, while speaking to Voicepk, Gilani opened up claiming that during the protest, he had been surrounded, repeatedly shoved, and subjected to physical assault. He said those involved were dressed in lawyers’ attire.
“We included in the complaint all the observations we made and information available to us. Not everyone present was named, as some were only there to protest. Peaceful protest is every citizen’s right, but spreading chaos and resorting to violence is unacceptable,” he said.
Case registration
According to police, the case was registered at the Secretariat Police Station, nominating human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari, lawyer Naeem Panjotha, and between 150 to 200 other lawyers. The FIR includes Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), alongside sections 440, 148, 149, 324, 506 (ii), and 427 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Additionally, Section 3 of the Lawyers Welfare and Protection Act, 2023 was also invoked.
The FIR alleges that lawyers blocked the main road near the Supreme Court and IHC, chanting slogans against the IHC Chief Justice and the Pakistan Army, and engaging in violent acts. Police stated that stones were pelted during the protest which injured law enforcement personnel and damaged government vehicles as well as public property. It was alleged that lawyers Intizar Panjotha and Naeem Panjotha were armed with knives and daggers at the time.
‘We took steps as required by the situation’
Gilani, while speaking to Voicepk, added that PTI-affiliated lawyers had been complained their cases were not being fixed for hearings, and the Bar had intervened to ensure their cases were scheduled.
“Despite this, some lawyers adopted very inappropriate behaviour,” he alleged, accusing in specific lawyer Intizar Panjotha of misbehaving in court and later chanting anti-state slogans against him in the barroom. “We are Pakistanis first and acted accordingly. We faced considerable pressure, but took steps as required by the situation,” he said.
He also clarified that the FIR did not include names of some Islamabad lawyers since they had not engaged in any objectionable acts. According to him, while protesting was a right, using inappropriate language against judges or the Chief Justice could not be tolerated.
‘No criminal offense happened’
Meanwhile, the leader of the PTI lawyers’ wing, A.R. Siddiqui, presented a different version of events.
“Two groups were present that day – one led by Advocate Imaan Mazari, comprising a few lawyers also showing solidarity against Justice Jahangiri’s suspension, and the other belonging to the Insaaf Lawyers’ Forum, including Intizar Panjotha, Naeem Panjotha, Mustarin Kazmi, and others,” he said.
Siddiqui stated that Mazari had only six or seven lawyers in her group, and she requested the Insaaf Lawyers to join them.
“After that, the lawyers all protested standing on the steps of the Bar President’s office. The only slogans raised were ‘shame, shame,’ which did not constitute a criminal offense,” he clarified.
He accused Gilani of overreacting, claiming that he himself pushed lawyers while no force was used from their side.
Siddiqui dismissed the FIR as “false and baseless,” rejecting claims about knives or anti-army slogans. “This FIR has been lodged under pressure from an unconstitutional Chief Justice, and the Bar’s lawyers completely reject it,” he said.
Senior lawyer Amjad Shah also expressed concern, saying that while the Bar may have reservations about the decision against Justice Jahangiri, the right to appeal exists and is already being exercised.
“The real concern is the growing divide between the Bar and the Bench, which could obstruct the delivery of justice,” he noted.
Separately, 60 women lawyers from across the country condemned the case in a joint statement. They said it was “shameful” that the Bar President Wajid Gilani was targeting women lawyers from his own Bar, and implicating them in serious terrorism charges. They demanded the immediate withdrawal of the FIR.
Background
On September 16, Justice Jahangiri was barred from performing judicial duties after a two-member IHC bench headed by Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar and Justice Muhammad Azam Khan suspended him until the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) completed its inquiry into allegations about the authenticity of his law degree.
After hearing a petition against Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, Islamabad High Court has excluded him from its revised duty roster and officially barred him from judicial duties until the Supreme Judicial Council decides on his fake degree case.#Islamabadhighcourt pic.twitter.com/KVsVJ4PvLc
— Advocate Afshan Awan (@AdvAfshanAwan) September 16, 2025
The order was issued on a petition filed by lawyer Mian Dawood, who had challenged Justice Jahangiri’s educational credentials.
The suspension immediately sparked criticism from the legal community, with many lawyers calling it an attack on judicial independence and staging protests outside the court.