Archive · 9 Oct 2026
Pakistani Lawyer Sets Courtroom Seat Ablaze Over Delayed Judgment
A lawyer in Hyderabad, Pakistan, was upset about a court case that had been waiting for a decision for nearly 11 months.
On Thursday, the judge said he would not give the decision then.
The case was about a land dispute from Nawabshah.
A court source said the dispute involved the lawyer's family.
Officials said the lawyer allegedly set fire to his courtroom seat after the announcement.
The local High Court Bar Association said it would look into what happened.
Its president said several judgments had been waiting for months.
The incident drew attention to how delays in court can frustrate lawyers and people waiting for cases to be decided.
A lawyer allegedly set fire to his courtroom seat in Hyderabad on Thursday.
The incident followed a judge's decision not to issue a judgment reserved for nearly 11 months.
The case was a civil land dispute from Nawabshah, and a court source said it involved the lawyer's family.
The Hyderabad High Court Bar Association said it would investigate the incident.
The episode renewed attention to frustration over prolonged case delays and court backlogs in Pakistan.
- Who
- Lawyer Sikander Bhatti and Justice Jawad Akbar Sawana; the Hyderabad High Court Bar Association also responded.
- What
- Bhatti allegedly set fire to his courtroom seat after the judge declined to issue a reserved judgment.
- When
- Thursday; the judgment had been reserved for nearly 11 months.
- Where
- The Sindh High Court's Hyderabad Circuit Bench in Hyderabad, Pakistan; the case concerned land in Nawabshah.
- Why
- The lawyer was reportedly frustrated by the delay in the judgment; a court source said the dispute involved his family.
Lawyers' concerns
Court's decision
Delayed judgment
Lawyers' concerns
Bar association president Ayaz Tunio said the judgment had been pending for 11 months and that delays in reserved judgments were frustrating litigants and lawyers.
Court's decision
Justice Sawana said he would not issue the reserved judgment at that time; the article does not report his reason or a response to the criticism.
- Incident
- A lawyer allegedly set fire to his courtroom seat.
- Date
- Thursday; no calendar date was specified.
- Location
- Sindh High Court's Hyderabad Circuit Bench, Hyderabad.
- Judge
- Justice Jawad Akbar Sawana.
- Lawyer
- Sikander Bhatti, who represented one party in the case.
- Case
- A civil land dispute from Nawabshah.
- Pending period
- The judgment had been reserved for nearly 11 months.
- Response
- The Hyderabad High Court Bar Association said it would conduct an inquiry.