Pakistani court says no to veiled lawyers

[irfy99]

http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...-11-2006_pg1_9

PHC says no to veiled lawyers

PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court (PHC) Chief Justice Tariq Pervaiz Khan has ordered women lawyers not to wear veils in courtrooms, saying they (the women lawyers) could neither be identified nor assist the court well in veils. “You (women lawyers) are professionals. You should be dressed as requisite for the lawyers. We (the judges) cannot identify women lawyers wearing veils and doubt that veiled lawyers appear in court several times seeking adjournments for other lawyers’ cases,” Justice Pervaiz told a veiled lawyer, Raees Anjum, who was seeking adjournment of a case. The court could barely hear Ms Anjum’s name when she was asked to make her presence for a case she was seeking an adjournment for. Ms Anjum had to repeat her name several times because of her veil and this led to the chief justice’s observation that women lawyers should not wear veils in courtrooms. “I was embarrassed when the chief justice asked me not to wear a veil in the courtroom,” Ms Anjum told Daily Times. “I feel more confident in my hijab (veil). I am a progressive Muslim woman who has the courage to follow her faith while living and working in this conservative society.... hijab reflects a woman’s modesty,” she said. She added that several women judges in the NWFP wear a veil and all MMA women MPAs are also veiled. Ms Anjum told Daily Times that there was a difference of opinion in the judiciary on the issue. “On one hand, Peshawar Sessions Judge Hayat Ali Shah tells women lawyers to wear veils when coming to his court, while the PHC chief justice wants women lawyers appearing in court without veils.” akhtar amin

This is shocking and in Peshawar of all places.

Unfortunately there are plenty of Pakistanis who not only are content with not following Islam properly themselves, they cant tolerate it when others want to follow Islam either.

"Mullahs" used to be blamed for trying to force women to cover up. But now that secularists are trying force women to not wear the veil ,suddenly "forcing" is seen as good.

Such godless acts used to occur in secularist Arab republics, but its a shame that some Pakistanis want it to be implemented in Pakistan. What next, men not allowed to keep Sunnah beard?

[FractionMan]

Unfortunately there are plenty of Pakistanis who not only are content with not following Islam properly themselves, they cant tolerate it when others want to follow Islam either.

i know plenty of people who will disagree with you on that one.

and i totally agree with the ruling.

[ENIGMA]

Pakistan,when gaining independence claimed, they will be the first country to be a fully islamic shari'ah ruled country. Biggest load of tosh ive heard. They just said that stuff just to win people over.

[outsider]

Silly idiots....why dont they just introduce mikes so lawyers voices can be heard...

[FractionMan]

but guys, i dont get it.

women who wear niqab should not be lawyers? surely? they will be talking to ghair mahram, they will ave to study law rather than work on being pious...etc etc

[Salaam]

but guys, i dont get it.

women who wear niqab should not be lawyers? surely? they will be talking to ghair mahram, they will ave to study law rather than work on being pious...etc etc

LOL - why do people keep saying that?

Niqab doesn't mean confining yourself to your home... I thought it's supposed to liberate a woman so that she is able to step out of the house whilst observing purda. I'm sure piety isn't about sitting on the prayer mat 24/7. It's about having taqwa in every single thing we do in our lives.

[outsider]

the time for sarcasm is not now Fraction...

the only losers here is the justice system of Pakistan....visibly practising Muslim lawyers will be able to persuade and engage the women in tribal areas far more effectively than other counterparts.

[FractionMan]

man, i'm not being sarcy, this is like having veiled teachers in the west? it won't work

[Salaam]

man, i'm not being sarcy, this is like having veiled teachers in the west? it won't work

But it's not the west is it. It's supposed to be a muslim country.

[waz___]

Has anything else happened about this? Apart from the daily times who reported it on the day there is has been nothing else about it….

What about the senior female judges who WEAR niqab? How will he overrule them?

I think the daily times has misreported this like it does with a great many stories….

[ENIGMA]

I can understand the teacher incident becasause the kids need to see the mouth to see how words are pronounced. But to argue a case in court, I dont see how unveiling will help. A mic should be enough so the judge can hear.

[FractionMan]

doent the judge and the jury need to see the face of the lawyer? it maybe a technical law case, where the pronounciation is important?

[Salaam]

doent the judge and the jury need to see the face of the lawyer? it maybe a technical law case, where the pronounciation is important?

LOL... pronounciation? But we listen to radios and CDs don't we? How do we manage to understand them? I'm sure the skill lies in the ability to communicate verbally with precision and clarity. I'm sure the skill isn't in the facial expressions...

But then again I could be wrong. I'm not a lawyer after all...

[ENIGMA]

A lawyer would explain pronounciation not teach pronounciation.

[omarahmadzai]

I think the issue has been taken out of context and generalized. It's only one judge that has ordered the female lawyer to remove her veil for obvious reasons. It's not all the judges and besides there's no law in Pakistan that either allows or prohibits wearing veil in courtrooms.

[One Voice]

Another glaring example of how Pakistan has failed, failed to live up to its founding aspirations, failed as a Muslim state and failed to implement Shariah. the foundation of Pakistan was meant to be Islam, yet it is sad to see the current state of Pakistan. My parents are originally from Azad Kashmir, which is NOT part of Pakistan. I get very offended when labelled as a Pakistani, because I do not wish to be associated with such a failed and pathetic country. As the Muslim worlds only nuclear state, it should be a powerful player in international politics, rather it has been reduced to a puppet of America. WHat was the point of struggling for independence from the British Crown, if after nearly 60 years, Pakistan is still dictated by the West? The biggest problem in Pakistan is the Mullahs, it is they that hindered the implementation of Shariah during Zia ul Haqs rule, as they were too busy fighting over whether Hanafi fiqh or Shafii fiqh should be implemented. they truly lost out on a golden opportunity for Pakistan to realise its aspirations. Pakistan, just like any other state, will never be truly successful unless it adheres to the Quran and Sunnah., As the Prophet said, "Indeed Allah has raised many nations due to their following of the Quran, and he has disgraced many nations due to their abandonment of the Quran." Currently Pakistan seems to be in the latter situation. When will Pakistan realise its true success is in following Shariah?

[waq1-9]

because I do not wish to be associated with such a failed and pathetic country.

Salam Brother/Sister(s)

This is an insulting and unfair statement. You have insulted me and my beloved Pakistan. You do not know me neither can you label a state as failed and pathetic. Please be objective in your arguments brother, not insulting.

As to the Article posted, it has to be mentioned that this is not a ruling that has been passed by the Supreme Court.

[waz___]

Another glaring example of how Pakistan has failed, failed to live up to its founding aspirations, failed as a Muslim state and failed to implement Shariah. the foundation of Pakistan was meant to be Islam, yet it is sad to see the current state of Pakistan. My parents are originally from Azad Kashmir, which is NOT part of Pakistan. I get very offended when labelled as a Pakistani, because I do not wish to be associated with such a failed and pathetic country. As the Muslim worlds only nuclear state, it should be a powerful player in international politics, rather it has been reduced to a puppet of America. WHat was the point of struggling for independence from the British Crown, if after nearly 60 years, Pakistan is still dictated by the West? The biggest problem in Pakistan is the Mullahs, it is they that hindered the implementation of Shariah during Zia ul Haqs rule, as they were too busy fighting over whether Hanafi fiqh or Shafii fiqh should be implemented. they truly lost out on a golden opportunity for Pakistan to realise its aspirations. Pakistan, just like any other state, will never be truly successful unless it adheres to the Quran and Sunnah., As the Prophet said, "Indeed Allah has raised many nations due to their following of the Quran, and he has disgraced many nations due to their abandonment of the Quran." Currently Pakistan seems to be in the latter situation. When will Pakistan realise its true success is in following Shariah?

Akhi Salam I understand your statements about the Shariah etc fair enough but to distinctly separate yourself from Pakistan is not right. Yes Azad Kashmir is a semi autonomous region but this is only due to the current stand off. I and the majority of people from this region [Azad Kashmir] including a sizable chunk of the Indian side want to merge with Pakistan. These were also the dreams of the likes of Alamah Iqbal, honourable men such as Abdul Qayoom and the likes of ordinary men like my grandfather who cae back from World War 2 to fight for the liberation of the land against the Hindu Dogra army. This was the original dream that we will part of a homeland for Muslims. Yes Pakistan has its failing but it has also come a long way as well and it is better for us to stand united with our brothers than to further divide ourselves which is makes no sense from an Islamic perspective. We can push forward change and bring Pakistan to what it should be.

[waz___]

Salam Brother/Sister(s)

This is an insulting and unfair statement. As a Dual Nationality holder you have insulted me and my beloved Pakistan. You do not know me neither can you label a state as failed and pathetic. Please be objective in your arguments brother, not insulting.

As to the Article posted, it has to be mentioned that this is not a ruling that has been passed by the Supreme Court, it was the preference of a single judge in respect to practices in the premise of his own court.

It is ok brother I have just posted up and inshallah we should work together to solve this misunderstanding. Pakistan is our fatherland and together we can work for its betterment.

[waq1-9]

Unfortunately there are plenty of Pakistanis who not only are content with not following Islam properly themselves, they cant tolerate it when others want to follow Islam either.

Salam Brother/Sister(s)

Do you have any objective evidence supporting your above statments ? I am a Pakistani and so i can vouch for myself and for Pakistanis i have conversed with on the topic of Islam. Please Brother try not to be insulting in your posts, be objective.