LAHORE: The Lahore police arrested several lawyers on Wednesday during a protest demanding dismissal of cases against their fellows and withdrawal of the notification for transfer of civil courts to Model Town.
The lawyers announced had protest when the chief justice LHC had ordered the relocation of courts.
The bar members were protesting outside the Lahore High Court (LHC). Several police officials and bar members were injured after police tried to disperse the protesting lawyers.
They were not allowed to enter the chief justice’s chamber and the police used batons, water cannons and tear gas to stop the protesters from entering the LHC premises.
All doors of the high court were closed, and no one was allowed to enter the gate. However, police arrested several bar members who tried to enter the LHC and clashed with the police at the GPO Chowk.
Three cops including SHO Anarkali police station Akhtar Ali also sustained injuries and were shifted to the Ganga Ram Hospital.
Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz directed IG Police through X (former twitter) to refrain from using force against the lawyers.
She also advised the lawyers to resolve their matters with Lahore High Court amicably.
A heavy police contingent remained outside the LHC and no one was allowed to enter the LHC premises.
The Pakistan Bar Council demanded strict action against the responsible police officials for manhandling the bar members.
The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) condemned the police high handedness against the peaceful protesting lawyers.
The bar also expressed its solidarity with lawyers and their just demands and asked the chief justice Pakistan to take suo motu notice of the incidence.
The Punjab Bar Council also demanded the withdrawal of the impugned notification causing division of the lawyers and the cases against the bar members under the terrorist act. The bar demanded the chief justice LHC to resolve the issue through reconciliation.
The Islamabad High Court Bar Association also condemned the incident and use of force against the lawyers.
The association demanded registration of FIRs against police officials involved in using force against the lawyers. All the bar associations announced a full day strike on Thursday (today).
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024