Pakistan

Clashes erupt across Punjab after killing of lawyers in Sialkot

Another advocate injured as SHO opens fire to disperse protesters; CM Punjab orders judicial inquiry

Web Desk May 25, 2015

EXPRESS NEWS SCREEN GRAB

DASKA: Two lawyers, including the president of a local bar association, were killed and another was injured on Monday when a clash broke out between lawyers and police officials in Daska area of Sialkot, Express News reported.

According to the initial reports, a scuffle broke out between police officials and lawyers when the latter were peacefully protesting outside a police station.

Daska SHO Sardar Shehzad opened fire to disperse the angry crowd, injuring President of Daska Bar Association Rana Khalid and two other advocates. The security forces also fired tear gas at the protesters.

An Express News screengrab of the Daska SHO.

Lawyers Khalid and Irfan succumbed to their injuries on the way to the Gujranwala hospital. According to hospital authorities, the injured are reportedly in critical condition.

Soon after the incident, lawyers strongly protested against police officials. They hurled stones at them and set the office of the deputy superintendent of police on fire. The Sialkot district police officer was injured as a result. The windows of Lahore Commissioner Abdullah Sumbal’s car were also smashed on Mall Road as protests spread in various cities including Gujranwala and Sialkot.

Meanwhile, lawyers set the assistant commissioner’s house on fire. He and his family was not in the present in the house, and according to reports, have fled the city.

Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif took notice of the incident and ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident.

The team will be consisted of members from Police, Inter Service Intelligence and Intelligence Bureau.

The orders were issued for the suspension of TMO Daska and making Assistant Commissioner Daska as an OSD, Radio Pakistan reported.

A province-wide strike was also announced by the Punjab Bar Council.

An Express News screengrab.

'Rangers might be called in'

Amid the mayhem and chaos that have also hit Gujranwala, RPO said Rangers could be called in if they feel the security situation is no longer in police's control.

He added a case had been registered, and those responsible will face due course of law and punishment.

Lawyers beating a police official during a protest in Faisalabad. PHOTO: ONLINE

The RPO said miscreants were taking advantage of the situation and resorting to arson and vandalism. He claimed that they had taken relevant measures to safe masses from further losses after the clashes broke out.

Imran Khan lashes out at Punjab police

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan tweeted on the death of the innocent citizens.

Punjab's Gullu police again kills innocent citizens - this time in Daska.2 PTI lawyers incl Rana Khalid Abbas Pres Daska Bar shot dead. 1/2
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) May 25, 2015

Khan said Punjab police have become murderers rather than protectors of citizens.

He also announced to hold peaceful demonstrations across the country to denounce the incidents.
Governor Punjab orders action

2/2 & two other PTI lawyer critically wounded. Shocking & outrageous. Punjab police have become murderers rather than protectors of citizens
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) May 25, 2015

When Model Town gullus go unpunished, then there is little to deter the police from committing murder again and again.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) May 25, 2015

Governor Punjab orders action

Taking notice of arson and acts of vandalism during the riots, Governor Punjab Rafique Rajwana has directed action against those involved.

In a statement, Rajwana said no one could be allowed to break havoc and take law into their hands under the garb of protest.

He furthered that he had communicated the situation to CM Punjab.

Lawyers protesting against Daska incident in Lahore. PHOTO: ONLINE

On May 3, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Buchiana president was shot dead by unidentified assailants near Lundianwala police station

Read: Deadly clash: Buchiana PPP president shot dead

Buchiana police post in-charge Muhammad Shafiq Gujjar told newsmen that Rana Shafqat Ali was at the party office near Buchiana Chowk when some men riding a motorbike shot him. He said Ali died on the spot. He said the killers managed to flee.

COMMENTS (27)

Iram | 8 years ago | Reply @Ch. Allah Daad: What are your views about Rana Shoaib (MPA) of your city (FSD) who has beaten a sub-inspector in police station, what does he deserve? Please comment.

raider | 8 years ago | Reply @Ch. Allah Daad: during long march started on 15 march 2009, police was attacked by miscreant(politicians+ same lawyers) and was instigated not to obey orders and long march was being propelled against elected govt, those offenses against state still need to bring to justice soon

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Myrrit Sipra | 8 years ago | Reply @Layman: In a country where the laws are rampantly abused or hardly ever adhered to, it seems that there are legions of black-coated lawyers running amok all over the place. Lovely, no ?

AVMPolpot | 8 years ago | Reply Human Life is so cheap in Pakistan..... ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Another JIT and another case of no miscreants. The script is already written.

leela4fun | 8 years ago | Reply Can Zaid Hamid please reveal whether the police or the lawyers were on RAW payroll?

Hassan | 8 years ago | Reply When the state uses police for their interests the result would be the same, if the responsible of Model Town faces punishment than today's incident may be avert. Specially in Punjab the police is being used to crush govt's opponents. Identically like every incident the CM Punjab has announced an inquiry or JIT. The question is the honorable CM sb was sleeping the whole day, ridiculously RPO and IG were unaware and the whole Daska was burning angry mob torching & destroying everything and the authorities awakened lately till that the violence spread over other major cities. One fears this type of police high handedness will be happened again if the govt failed to brought the accused SHO into task. Basically Sharifs are remains of a dictatorship and only know the power using tactics and It seems like other incidents of Joseph Colony, Sialkot brothers killing, Kot Radha Kishan and Model Town operation nothing will be done and after all we will forget all things for which the Punjab govt is waiting.

Ch. Allah Daad | 8 years ago | Reply @citizen: Anyone who attacks a police officer deservers a bullet in his head. In my view, there is no difference between police and army. One fights external enemies and other fights internal enemies.

sabi | 8 years ago | Reply Imran Khan is always the first one to support any act of violence against the state.No matter how much you feed him milk he will not change.We need to beat the line but...

Samar Javed | 8 years ago | Reply @Ch. Allah Daad: "these lawyers slapping judges, beating police officers and tearing off their uniforms"..... mian sahibaan were forefront in leading their movement against zardari presidency, for these allegedly "deserved criminals"

Salim | 8 years ago | Reply @Ch. Allah Daad are you supporting what happened as you said " lawyers .they got what they deserved" you have supported killing of lawyers and may be you should be behind bars if any one responsible has read the comments

ziaurrehman | 8 years ago | Reply @Blithe: Why this action was not taken again miscreants like Raymond Davis... ;)...

Asad | 8 years ago | Reply @ Raider: what will you comment on Faisalabad picture above where lawyers are beating a police officer in uniform? Our police has multiple issues but our judiciary is being controlled by lawyers who think they are above law. We are trapped in a vicious circle where judges(read as lawyers) think they will run parallel government and will not be answerable to anyone except the Bar Associations!

citizen | 8 years ago | Reply @Ch. Allah Daad: Was wondering whether you are a human? Your slavery has made you such a blind that killing an innocent human is very easy for you. SHAM ON YOU

Khan Jr | 8 years ago | Reply Reading between the lines it appears there has been a war between two criminal gangs. One side kills some of their hated rival's members, then the rival gang goes on rampage burning buildings and engaging in other acts of wanton destruction. Only in the kingdom of the five rivers can one expect such egotistic mayhem!

Pakistani | 8 years ago | Reply No wounder, It is Sharif's Kingdom. They have a long history of doing such inhuman acts, dating back from slapping Supreme court judges to killing innocent people. Another model town, another JIT will be formed and at the end of the day there will be zero result. There is no justice in this country, you will never see such criminals punished as they belongs to them. God bless innocent people and curse on the criminal government.

raider | 8 years ago | Reply @Ch. Allah Daad: have you not seen same police kill innocent peoples, slap them daily, take bribe, are hand in glove with culprits, sale their jurisdiction to miscreants, intimidate poor, assaults women, salute to criminals that big stalwarts of politics and so on

Citizen26 | 8 years ago | Reply Eagerly waiting on JIT report that would again clear Police chief of Daska incident and would blame protesters for protesting.

Ch. Allah Daad | 8 years ago | Reply Imran is always on the wrong side of the history. We have witnessed these lawyers slapping judges, beating police officers and tearing off their uniforms. They got what they deserved.

Irfan | 8 years ago | Reply What ever happened in Daska is highly condemnable, no two thoughts about it. Innocent lives lost due to apparent police highhandedness. May Allah give them eternal abode in heaven and patience to their loved ones. Having said that the politicians and some ignorant citizens have completely missed the nonsensical reaction and behaviour of the so called educated and literate lawyers, in their comments on the incident. It has become a routine for the lawyers to violently take to the streets like common hooligans. They of all people should know better about the sanctity of the law and institutions. Damaging public property, burning government buildings, is that what law books are teaching these days not to forget the oath they supposedly take to uphold the law. It appears if you want your sibling to became a legalized miscreant make him a “Kala coat wallh”

Blithe | 8 years ago | Reply These miscreants have taken the law into their own hands and need to be dealt with pains and penalties . No to all miscreants in Pakistan , be it ik, TuQ or this lot in Daska . I fully back Pubjab police to take strong action against these miscreants in the video

Habibullah | 8 years ago | Reply It seems punjab Govt had vested police with more powers,even if necessary, they may open fire on them. Just look at the Modal town incident and Jit's findings which gave a clean chit to Mian brothers. Now the lawyers are being treated in the same way they had treated the innocent protesters of modal town

atherkhanturi | 8 years ago | Reply result of giving clean sheets to the killers of model town. even if not cm shahbaz sharif himself, but the ig punjab should have been made responsible for any such incident. in that scenario, police would be much more sensible when using lethal force.

Ch. Allah Daad | 8 years ago | Reply Such tragedy was waiting to happen. Since their movement against Musharaf, lawyers have become very aggressive. They beat not only police officers but have violated the sanctity of courts too. They should have been taught a lesson long time ago.

shahzad | 8 years ago | Reply It's only happen in a kingdom. Where the law is on sale & govt officials, agencies start to work & protect for Personalities & families. When all VIP's become above the law & when civil departments start working for themselves & money only. When power hungry elite are in control of a country...

Bravo | 8 years ago | Reply No one is to be blamed for such incidents except the two leaders who have entered into an agreement to enjoy their tenure at the federal level. The so called law enforcement agency (Police) is only loyal to them working to their desire and satisfaction and having no respect for the judiciary. Model Town incident in Punjab and the recent incident of non cooperation with the orders of CJ, SHC are typical recent examples. These agencies know that any JIT formed would be amongst the higher ranks within them who would deviate form the actual findings as it is the inherited police culture. God bless Pakistan and its innocent citizens.

S!D | 8 years ago | Reply How does Buchiana incident relates with the clash between police and lawyers??

Layman | 8 years ago | Reply When you will not punish those who killed 18 innocent soles including women then get ready for more model town's in future, this is another example of good governance by Punjab government after Model town..

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