• Lahore Bar organises rally against LHC’s decision to move civil courts to Model Town
• Police round up dozens; law minister urges CM to release lawyers, both favour talks to resolve issues

LAHORE: As scores of lawyers converged on The Mall to lodge their protest against the decision to shift civil courts from Aiwan-i-Adl on Lower Mall to Model Town, the police used teargas, baton-charge, and water cannons to disperse them, prompting violent clashes outside the Lahore High Court (LHC).

Dozens of people on both sides suffered injuries during the confrontation while several lawyers, including women, were taken into custody.

The police contingent clad in anti-riot gear was on standby when the procession organised by the Lahore Bar Association reached the GPO Chowk on The Mall.

The lawyers had planned to enter the high court to lodge their protest against the LHC chief justice’ decision to ‘unilaterally’ shift the courts from Lower Mall to Model Town.

However, their attempt to enter the LHC premises, which were barricaded by the law enforcers with an ‘iron fence’ and the main entrance shut, met with batons, as the police used force to disperse them. The lawyers also chanted slogans against the chief justice and the police.

In the ensuing clashes in which media persons were also affected, dozens of protesters, including women lawyers, were rounded up and several received “minor injuries”. On the other hand, the police claimed that they were pelted with stones which injured over a dozen officials, including two SPs, one DSP, and two SHOs.

The Mall Road from Chairing Cross to Istanbul Chowk remained a no-go area for commuters for hours due to the police-lawyers clash.

In a bid to control the situation, Pakistan Bar Council’s member Ahsan Bhoon negotiated with the police officers and warned them against using force to disperse the lawyers allegedly at the behest of the LHC chief justice. He assured the police that lawyers would remain peaceful if allowed to enter the high court. However, the police did not agree to the demand.

The members of the LBA have been observing protests since December last year when then-chief justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti issued a “unilateral” notification about the shifting of the courts. Due to the protest, the case filing branch at the civil court remained shut for at least 73 days causing problems to litigants and lawyers.

In March, the Punjab Bar Council temporarily called off the protest as a ‘goodwill gesture’ to Chief Justice Malik Shahzad Ahmad Khan hoping for a positive response from the new head of the Punjab judiciary. However, contrary to the expectation, the bar got a “cold shoulder” from Chief Justice Khan as well, and the dispute could not inch towards any resolution.

Consequently, a joint action committee (JAC) was formed, comprising elected leaders of different bar associations and councils to chalk out a policy. Wednesday’s protest rally was announced by the JAC.

The protesting lawyers also demanded the withdrawal of terrorism cases registered against their colleagues, apparently affiliated with the PTI who were arrested in the wake of the crackdown on the political party. Some of these lawyers are on bail while some others have been sent to jail on judicial remand.

Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar telephoned Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz and requested her to order release of the arrested lawyers.

According to media reports, the CM and the law minister evolved a consensus that valid demands of lawyers should be honoured and the matter should be resolved with reconciliation. Mr Tarar said lawyers were not terrorists and should be released immediately. The CM said the chief secretary and the inspector general of police had been restrained from using force against the lawyers.

The law minister said that confrontation did not favour anyone. He implored that “sanity should prevail”.

Published in Dawn, May 9th, 2024