FAISALABAD: Police have registered cases against 69 lawyers who resorted to aerial firing to celebrate the victory of the candidates they supported in the district and tehsil Bar elections.

The Samundri city police registered a case against five lawyers of the Bar association and as many others on the charges of aerial firing after the polling. The case was registered on the complaint of SHO Tariq Ameer under sections 148, 149, 186, 337-H (2), 382, 506-II of the PPC and 11-B of the Punjab Arms Amendment Ordinance 2015.

Police said lawyers identified as Zain Ali, Usman Sikandar, Awais Akram, Naeem Gujjar, Jaffar Iqbal and five other people started aerial firing after the results of the Samundri tehsil bar elections. They thrashed constable Tajamul Hussain and snatched his mobile phone when he was recording the firing video. They also hurled threats at the constable.

Police said the suspects escaped from the spot when police reached there.

In an earlier aerial firing case, police had to pay heavy price for lodging a case and arresting lawyers. A group of lawyers ransacked Sargodha Road and Peoples Colony police stations and roughed up the lawyers. Raids were conducted by police in connection with three cases registered with two police stations on Nov 28 last. The suspects resorted to jubilation firing following the results of the Punjab Bar Council elections and they were identified with the help of footages.

On Thursday, a group of lawyers attacked the Municipal Corporation Office following the information that their fellow lawyer Shafqat Hameed had been tortured by some of the corporation employees. Lawyers damaged the fixtures of the corporation office, abused the officials and also thrashed some of the employees.

A case was registered against 14 employees of the corporation including its chief officer (CO) Naeemullah Warraich on the charges of dacoity, robbery and other sections of the PPC.

BAHAWALNAGAR: The Minchinabad police registered a case against 17 lawyers who celebrated victory of their favourite candidates in the annual elections of the Bar association through aerial firing.

According to the FIR, some members of two lawyers’ groups were raising slogans to celebrate the victory of their favourite candidates in the courtyard of the Minchinabad court. The FIR said seven lawyers including Ijaz and Ahmad started aerial firing at the main gate of court and they were later joined by eight to 10 other lawyers.

The officials deputed at court tried to stop them but they did not listen to them. The Minchinabad police on the complaint of the officials deputed at court lodged an FIR against 17 lawyers under section 337H2, 148 and 149.

SARGODHA: The Cantonment police registered a case against 47 lawyers for putting the lives of their colleagues in danger by revelling in aerial firing after the announcement of result of annual elections of the DBA.

District Police Officer Zulfiqar Ahmad took notice of the firing incident. The police nominated seven lawyers and 40 unidentified lawyers after witnessing videos uploaded on social media.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2021