Three senior lawyers including SHO Police station Kotwali were injured, when employees of PSO petrol pumps burst over the Lawyers over the petroleum prices dispute, here on Thursday morning. Lawyers fraternity observed boycotts of City Court and observed one day strike as a mark of protest against the imposition of Petroleum Development Levy (PDL) (Amendment) Ordinance 2009 and condemned the beaten up the three senior lawyers and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.
On the other employees of PSO petrol pumps suspended the sale of petroleum products, as a mark of protest against the arrests of their five colleagues. According to reports, some local Lawyers on Thursday reached the PSO Petrol Pump run by Police near PTCL Office on circular road and got Petrol for their vehicles. The employees of the pump charged higher prices from the lawyers than fixed by the government which led to a clash and the pump employees allegedly manhandled the lawyers.
In this mishap, 3 senior lawyers, Malik Muhammad Amjad Advocate, former Chairman, Punjab Bar Council, Humayun Wahla and Ahmed Hassan Randhawa Advocate were injured who have been admitted in Allied Hospital, Faisalabad, for medical treatment while a Police SHO also sustained injuries while trying to reconcile the issue between lawyers and petrol pump employees.
According to another report, the City Police have taken into custody, the five petrol pump employees for scuffling with lawyers. The Members of DBA, after boycotting the Courts, took out a protest procession led by Bar President, Mian Mansoor Ali Advocate and marched through main bazars of the city shouting slogans against the government for enhancement in petroleum prices. The DBA Vice-President, Mian Rifaat Qadri and General Secretary, Rai Saif-ur-Rehman Bhatti, also participated in the protest rally.
On the other hand, the employees of PSO Police Petrol Pump also closed down their business to protest against improper attitude of some lawyers. The PSO petrol pumps at Faisalabad, Jhang, Samundri, Chiniot and Gojra also joined the strike against this mishap and demanding appropriate action against the lawyers for creating a fuss during purchase of petrol for their vehicles and immediate release of their employees held by the police.
Later, the DBA held a meeting in Kiyani Hall under chairmanship of Mian Mansoor Ali and demanded implementation of Justice Bhagwan Das Report to decrease 20 percent prices of petroleum products. The meeting strongly criticised the government for raising the prices of petroleum products, which are not within reach of common man.
The meeting also criticised the role of legislators and said that they are the privileged class getting ample facilities from the government and have bitterly failed to get legitimate rights for the people. The House demanded withdrawal of Presidential Order for increase of petroleum prices. It was proposed in the meeting that the DBA membership of Punjab Law Minister, Rana Sana Ullah, should be cancelled as he was reportedly opposing the establishment of a High Court Bench at Faisalabad.
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