News
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Police enter LHC to quell protest* 60 lawyers injured, law offices ransacked
* Five MMA parliamentarians, 400 others releasedBy Rana Tanveer
LAHORE: Some 60 lawyers were injured in violent clashes with police on Saturday in continuing unrest over the suspension of the chief justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Chaudhry.
The clashes kicked off at around noon when police deployed around the Lahore High Court prevented a group of lawyers from joining up with their colleagues inside for an All Pakistan Lawyers Convention. The lawyers inside began throwing stones at the police, who responded with tear gas. The lawyers pushed out of the compound and police hit out at them with batons. Police chasing stone-throwing protestors ransacked some 40 lawyers’ offices in two buildings on Turner Road.
Riot police later charged into the LHC compound, behind two armoured vehicles, and fired teargas shells and rubber bullets at the protestors. Some teargas shells fell in front of courtrooms. Both sides pelted stones at each other in running battles that lasted four hours. Dozens of policemen were also injured. Police arrested several lawyers wanting to join the LHC protest, including seven from the NWFP. Acting Chief Justice Javed Iqbal ordered the police to quit the LHC building, TV channels reported. He also issued notices to the Punjab IG for Monday to explain the police action.
Islamabad Bureau adds: the police released five MMA parliamentarians, including Qazi Hussain Ahmed, but kept four others in custody on charges of creating unrest in the capital on Friday. Islamabad and Rawalpindi police released over 400 people arrested for disturbing the peace on Friday. The remaining 250 would be released on March 21, security sources said. MMA supporters rallied at Aabpara Chowk to protest the arrest of their leaders. Lawyers across NWFP observed a strike and protested in front of the SC Peshawar branch. They also announced an All Pakistan Lawyers Convention on March 22 at the Peshawar High Court.
Lawyers throughout Balochistan also boycotted courts, while a rally was staged from the Quetta District Courts to the press club.
Courtesy DailyTimes.com.pk