SUKKUR: A large number of lawyers took out a rally and held noisy demonstrations at the offices of the Jacobabad SSP and deputy commissioner on Tuesday over registration of a case against their colleague, Advocate Zakariya Ghunio, for resisting demolition of his house by anti-encroachment staff.

Participants in the rally started their march from the district bar office and converged on SSP’s office, where they blocked the entrance and raised slogans against police for some time. They then proceeded to DC’s office and held a demonstration on its gate.

While they were raising slogans against the district administration, revenue employees present inside reacted furiously and raised slogans against the legal fraternity which created a near-showdown situation. People from both sides exchanged hot words and hurled threats at each other.

Attempt to demolish advocate’s house triggers protest

However, senior revenue officials and some leaders of the protesting lawyers intervened and tried to pacify angry protesters to avoid a clash.

DSP Mohammad Sharif Mahar and a revenue official, Rehmatullah Khoso, heard lawyers’ grievance amid a charged atmosphere. Assistant Commissioner Shehzad Ahmed also joined in the efforts and held out the assurance that the matter would be settled amicably.

Speaking to local reporters, lawyers Abdul Jabbar Lashari, Muzaffar Ali Rind, Zafarullah Jakhrani and others said that an anti-encroachment team led by the DC arrived at Advocate Ghunio’s house and tried to demolish it on Tuesday without a notice having been served to him. They said Mr Ghunio posed resistance on the grounds that he had already filed a petition in court on the matter which was pending adjudication. They said the DC was told that any attempt to demolish the house would be unlawful since the case was pending a decision.

However, they said, the anti-encroachment team did not pay any heed and tried to go ahead with the demolition work which was resisted.

The lawyers said Mr Ghunio was then booked at the City police station.

They deplored that certain revenue officials used foul language against lawyers during their demonstration at the DC office which provoked an angry reaction.

They demanded that the case against Advocate Ghunio be withdrawn and no action be taken with regard to the demolition of his house until the court issued its order on his petition.

Protesting against lawyers’ “aggressive posture and insulting attitude” during the demonstration, the district chapter of the All Sindh Revenue Employees Association announced a strike for Wednesday. It said a sit-in would also be held at DC’s office.

Its leaders present there spoke to local reporters and alleged that lawyers were patronising encroachments in the city and disrupting the ongoing anti-encroachment drive. They said they would not accept any pressure in the discharge of their official duty.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2022