As he dictated the order of suspending the Lahore High Court’s verdict against appointment of returning officers, Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa said that the order was being made in extraordinary circumstances.
However, the order was not the only extraordinary thing that happened during the proceedings.
While the order was being narrated, a young lawyer made her way to the rostrum where Election Commission of Pakistan’s lawyer Sajeel Swati and Attorney General Mansoor Awan were standing.
“My lord,” she began. The sudden words prompted the attorney general to look around in surprise.
However, the chief justice cut her off immediately.
“Please sit down. Who are you? We are dictating an order,” Justice Isa said. He had to repeat his order before the woman finally left the rostrum.
“Seems to be no respect for anyone anymore,” Justice Isa curtly observed. He added that the next time she did this, she would be held in contempt.
Although, the woman was off screen and was no longer heard from, Justice Isa asked her if she was a lawyer and where she had studied. He then told her to go sit at the back of the courtroom.
“I don’t know what’s happening, what sort of education is being imparted,” he said.
The attorney general added that the young woman was not an advocate and should not have addressed the court. The ECP lawyer hurriedly added that she was not with him.
Later, journalist Fahad Shehbaz caught up with the lawyer who introduced herself as Mashal Yousafzai and said she belonged to the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
She added that she was a student of law and had been watching the proceedings on YouTube when she heard Justice Isa ask if there was anyone belonging to the PTI in the courtroom.
She added that as there was nobody representing PTI, she had decided to rush to the court as the ECP was misrepresenting facts.