By Muhammad Najeeb, IANS
Islamabad : A lawyer Monday blackened the face of President Pervez Musharraf’s main counsel outside the Supreme Court, which is hearing six identical petitions against the general’s holding the offices of presidency and army chief.
A lawyer named Muhammad Khurshid Khan sprayed black colour on Ahmed Raza Kasuri’s face as he stepped out of his chauffer driven car.
Kasuri then appeared before the nine-member bench that is hearing the petitions against Musharraf and expressed his anger over the incident. Judge Rana Bhagwandas, who is heading the bench, asked Kasuri to submit a written complaint.
“If this has happened within the Supreme Court premises, we’ll take notice of it,” Bhagwandas said.
Appearing in a GEO TV programme Sunday, Kasuri defended Musharraf’s re-election bid in uniform and hurled abuses at those opposed to this.
He also criticised opposition leaders and lawyers who are agitating against Musharraf’s rule.
At times, the TV management had to mute the audio and the anchors of the programme repeatedly urged Kasuri to refrain from using objectionable language and the programme was abruptly ended.
Talking to reporters after Monday’s hearing, Kasuri said opposition lawyers were behind the incident.
In his written complaint to the court, Kasuri named Supreme Court Bar Association president Munir A. Malik and others as being responsible. He has also lodged a complaint in the local police station.
Malik condemned the incident, saying it was the act of an individual who alone was responsible for it. He had also appeared on the GEO TV programme where he and Kasuri had exchanged hot words.
According to reports, the assailant, an activist of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), had shot himself in 2002 to protest against a party decision.