Lawyers attack CJ’s court

Lawyers reiterate their demand for the transfer of the district and sessions judge Zawar Sheikh.

LAHROE:

Angry Lahore Bar Association (LBA) members broke the windowpanes of the court room of the chief justice (CJ) of the Lahore High Court on Thursday, while also beating up the LHC registrar, Abdul Sattar Asghar, who tried to stop the lawyers from creating unrest in front of the courtroom .

They also attacked the CJ’s chamber, chanting derogatory slogans against him, while he was holding proceedings. The lawyers also pulled down the walkthrough gate installed at the entrance of the CJ’s court for security purposes.

The hundred plus black-coats, who had taken out a rally from Aiwan-e-Adal to the LHC to reiterate their demand for the transfer of the district and sessions judge Zawar Sheikh, entered the high security zone of the LHC premises (the CJ’s court room) without any resistance from the security personnel.

The LBA president Sajid Bashir, vice president Lubna Mahmood, secretary Qasim Buttar, former VP Mr Awan, and former secretary Latif Ahmed Sarra led the attackers. After reaching outside the CJ’s courtroom they tore down the walkthrough gate and broke a few of the window panes. Justice Sharif was holding his court at the time. His staff locked the doors.

Police commandos, charged with the CJ’s protection in the wake of threats to his life, stopped the lawyers by blocking their access to the door.

After being denied entrance, the lawyers burnt an effigy of the Lahore District and Sessions Judge, Zawar Sheikh, in front of the CJ’s court.

They also abused both the CJ and the D&SJ. The protesters only dispersed after half an hour of delivering speeches, giving the CJ a half-hour ultimatum to transfer Sheikh.

Soon after the incident, Justice Sharif called a full court meeting to chalk out a strategy. It was decided in the meeting, that the attackers be shown no leniency and that the lawyers responsible for the assault be dealt in accordance with the law. The judges agreed that the prestige of the judges and the sanctity of the LHC be protected at all costs.

CCPO Aslam Tareen, DIG (Operations) Sardar Muhammad and SP (Admin) Sohail Sukhera and other police officials also reached the LHC and were informed of the judges’ decision through the LHC registrar.

Later, police raided the LBA premises and arrested Sajid Bashir, vice chairman Punjab Bar Council Mumtaz Mustafa, LBA vice presidents Lubna Mahmood and Zulfiqar Haider Manki and some other members of LBA who were addressing a press conference. Lubna Mahmood and Mumtaz Mustafa were later released on the instructions of the chief justice.

During the press conference, Sajid Bashir and other office bearers denied their involvement in the attack. Bashir said,” We had condemned the July 12 incident, when some miscreants had attacked the sessions judge and other judicial officers. We also condemn Thursday’s incident.”

Police have registered two FIRs against the LBA executive and 12 others lawyers in Old Anarkali police station and Islampura police station under provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Act, 1997, on the complaint of the LHC registrar.

Most of the lawyers, who were part of the mob that attacked and damaged the CJ’s court went into hiding to avoid arrest.

A number of judges from the subordinate judiciary met at the D&SJ’s court and decided to observe a strike on Friday (today) to protest the lawyers’ ‘hooliganism’.

However, on the instructions of the LHC CJ, the judges changed their decision and agreed to return to their courts today.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 1st, 2010.