Court security: Lawyers’ chambers and houses unlikely to be demolished

‘Our houses are not a security threat in any way’.

LAHORE: The Lahore Bar Association is likely to decide that lawyers’ chambers and residences will not be demolished to build a boundary wall for security on court premises, The Express Tribune has learnt.

The LBA has decided instead to permanently close the doors of lawyer’s chambers opening towards the railway track.

The LBA will also seal off the doors connecting lawyers’ chambers with their houses.

Zameer Ahmed Jhedu, LBA vice-president from Model Town, told The Express Tribune that demolishing lawyers’ chambers and their houses would not be wise.

Jhedu said he had spoken with lawyers whose chambers and houses were in the way, and an agreement had developed that they would close the doors connecting their chambers and houses. He said neither chambers nor houses would be demolished.

Construction of the boundary wall has been delayed due to resistance by lawyers. Some lawyers beat up laborers who had started the construction work a few weeks ago.

Five lawyers ‘families were residing in these houses behind lawyers’ chambers. The main gate of the chambers’ row opens on the court premises. The back door opens towards the railway track.  Advocates Munir Bhatti, Khalid Bhatti, Irfan Riaz Basra and others have families living in houses where the wall was supposed to be constructed.

Bhatti told The Express Tribune they would not let the LBA demolish their houses. He said their houses were not a security threat in any way.

The lawyers have been requested by several LBA leaders to move but continue to resist the plan.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 31^st, 2014.