Courtroom drama in Pakistan as lawyer sets seat on fire over judgment delayed for 11 months

A lawyer allegedly set fire to his courtroom seat in Pakistan’s Hyderabad city on Thursday after a judge declined to pronounce a judgment that had remained reserved for nearly 11 months, officials said. The dramatic incident occurred inside the Sindh High Court’s Hyderabad Circuit Bench and has once again highlighted concerns over prolonged delays in the country’s judicial system. The incident took place after Justice Jawad Akbar Sawana reportedly told the court that he would not pronounce the judgment in a civil land dispute case originating from Nawabshah.

Sikander Bhatti, who was representing one of the parties in the matter, allegedly reacted by setting his official courtroom seat on fire. According to Hyderabad High Court Bar Association president Ayaz Tunio, Bhatti had grown increasingly frustrated over the delay in the case.

“The judgement has been pending for the last 11 months, and lawyer Sikander Bhatti finally lost his patience today in court,” Tunio said, as per the PTI. The bar association president said the lawyers’ body would conduct an inquiry into the incident. He also claimed that several judgments reserved by Justice Sawana had been pending for months, adding to frustration among litigants waiting for their cases to be decided.

Lawyer reportedly had personal connection to land dispute

A court source said Bhatti’s reaction was particularly strong because the dispute reportedly involved his own family. The civil case concerns a land dispute in Nawabshah that has been pending for several years.

The development adds another layer to an already prolonged legal battle, with the lawyer himself representing one of the parties while also having a family connection to the matter, according to the court source.

Tunio said lawyers had recently met Justice Sawana in his chambers and urged him to pronounce judgments that had been reserved in several cases. The requests came amid concerns over the length of time some matters have remained pending after hearings were completed.

Incident puts spotlight on Pakistan’s judicial backlog

Thursday’s courtroom incident has renewed attention on the frustration among lawyers and litigants over delays in the disposal of civil and criminal cases in Pakistan. For litigants, a judgment being reserved does not necessarily mean an immediate decision. The period between the conclusion of hearings and the pronouncement of a judgment can become an additional source of uncertainty, particularly in cases involving property and other long-running disputes.

The episode also comes against the backdrop of tensions between lawyers’ organisations and the Sindh police over various issues in recent months. Those disagreements have at times resulted in protests and clashes, further adding to concerns surrounding the functioning of the legal system in the province. However, the Hyderabad incident remains centred on the alleged courtroom protest over the delayed judgment, with the bar association now set to examine the circumstances surrounding the lawyer’s actions.

(With inputs from PTI)

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