| A lawyer slapped a civil judge in a court in Faisalabad, a private TV channel reported on Monday. Liaqat Javaid advocate slapped Civil Judge Tariq Mehmood, the channel reported. The judge was hearing a loan default case. Javaid, lawyer for the accused, asked the judge to release the accused as the amount had already been deposited. The judge after thoroughly reading the record of the case said the contention of the defendant's lawyer could not be entertained as no such receipt of payment had been recorded. This flared the lawyer up and he started abusing the judge. He rushed to the dais and allegedly slapped the judge repeatedly. Court officials and lawyers succeeded in rescuing the judge, who went into his retiring room, APP reported. Reacting to the incident, the Faisalabad sessions judge ordered all judges to stop working immediately and demanded suspension of the lawyer's licence. District bar office-bearers also held an emergency meeting and decided that the judges would continue to boycott the courts until the suspension of Javaid's licence, the channel reported. The civil judges of Jaranwala, Samundri and Tandlianwala tehsils boycotted the courts. They condemned the incident and called it a shameful act. Forty-five civil judges submitted their resignations to the senior civil judge and said they would not resume their duties the next working day (Wednesday) if a case was not registered against the lawyer for disgracing, misbehaving, manhandling, abusing, threatening and attempting to kill the judge. They said Javaid had committed contempt of the court. District and Sessions Judge Sohail Nasir also held a meeting with the civil judges and assured that their grace and dignity would be protected at all costs. |