Over 250 lawyers booked under anti-terrorism law

A day after a violent mob attacked the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC), the police on Thursday by excluding the name of Barrister Hassan Khan Niazi, a nephew of Prime Minister Imran Khan, booked over 250 lawyers in two first information reports (FIRs) registered under the Anti-Terrorism Act for damaging the hospital, inflicting injuries to the staff, patients, attendants and police officials with "intent to kill".

At least three patients, including a girl and an elderly woman were died on Wednesday during the clashes while hundreds of people sustained minor and serious injuries.

The lawyers had staged a protest on a mission to avenge the "insult" of their colleagues, who had been beaten up at the PIC a few weeks ago, soon after some video clips went viral on the social media showing some doctors making fun of the lawyers while recalling the incident.

According to an FIR registered at the Shadman police station on the complaint PIC, police official Saqib Shafi Sheikh nominated Lahore Bar Association (LBA) General Secretary Malik Maqsood Khokhar, LBA Vice President Ijaz Basra and LBA presidential hopeful Rana Intizar for leading the march and provoking as well as instructing the lawyers that nobody, especially doctors coming to their way could escape safely.

The FIR has been registered under Section-7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act and Section 322 (manslaughter), 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharging their duty),186 (obstructing a public servant in discharge of public functions), 354 (assault or criminal force to a woman with an intent to outrage her modesty), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 337-H (2) (punishment for hurt by rash or negligent act) and 395 (punishment for dacoity) of the Pakistan Penal Code. On Wednesday, Saqib claimed that he was on duty in the PIC's emergency department along with other doctors when he received a telephone call warning them against a group of 200-250 lawyers led were marching towards the hospital.

Immediately after receiving the information, the complainant said he informed the doctors about it, who arrived at the emergency ward of the PIC to alert security about the approaching lawyers. About half an hour later, 200-250 lawyers, some of whom were carrying weapons and sticks, forcefully entered the PIC by pushing the large contingent of police posted at the emergency ward gate, which they also broke.

As per the FIR, the lawyers divided into various groups, entered various PIC departments, including the intensive care unit (ICU), operation theatre and radiology department where they tortured the security guards, medical staff and doctors present in the vicinity.

It further states that the enraged lawyers also created fear among the patients and their families by broking valuable equipment at the hospital. Consequently, the treatment of patients inside and outside the ICUs and CCUs remained suspended which led to the deaths of three patients.

The FIR continues that a group of lawyers also entered and vandalised the nurses' ward. The shirt of the nurses' ward in charge was torn and her locket was snatched. As well as, two security guards posted at the hospital were also tortured by the lawyers and after their condition deteriorated they were shifted to the Services Hospital for treatment. The cars of doctors in the parking lot were also damaged.

When the situation got out of control, an additional contingent of police arrived at the site and when they attempted to vacate the lawyers from the PIC, some of them started firing. The incident lasted for at least two hours. Information regarding injuries and damaged equipment will be shared later, concluded one FIR.

Separately, another FIR, including ATA sections, was registered against the lawyers on behalf of the police. According to it, a complainant Inspector Syed Intikhab Hussain stated that some lawyers with a pistol and sticks approached his police vehicle and with an intention to kill, directly fired on him.

The FIR has been registered under Section-7 of the ATA and Section-290 (public nuisance), 291 (continuance of nuisance after injunction to discontinue), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 353 (assault), 324 (attempt to murder), 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house, etc) and 186 (obstructing a public servant in discharge of public functions) of the PPC.

"Realising the seriousness of the situation, I sat in the car to leave. During this process, my car climbed onto the footpath and the lawyers surrounded it and started damaging it. One of the attackers was urging others to kill me by setting my vehicle on the fire," he recalled, adding that some of them had fired on the police van and set it on fire.