Islamabad turns into battlefield, lawyers hold countrywide strike
Lawyers observe countrywide strike against Islamabad protest and police torture that followed.
ISLAMABAD (Dunya News)— Lawyers are observing a countrywide strike on Monday against the attack on Parliament House, President House and Prime Minister House in Islamabad by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) protestors and yesterday’s brutal police crackdown on women, children and journalists, Dunya News reported.
Lawyers in Karachi have boycotted court proceedings against yesterday’s attack on state buildings by PTI and PAT protestors and the police torture that followed. The judicial affairs are at a standstill and those awaiting hearing of cases in the courts are facing crisis.
In response to a call of the Pakistan Bar Council and Supreme Court Bar Association, lawyers of Sindh Bar Council, Sindh High Court and Karachi Bar have observed a complete strike. The strikes have resulted in absence of lawyers from court hearings in Sindh High Court, City Court, Malir Court and other lower courts. Thousands of cases have been postponed. President of Sindh High Court Bar Zaid K Jatoi said that the assault of police on journalists, women and children is highly condemnable. President of Karachi Bar Barrister Salahuddin has condemned both the attack on the Parliament House by PTI and PAT protestors and the police torture as an aftermath.
Meanwhile, following the appeal of Pakistan Bar Council, the lawyers have boycotted courts in Lahore resulting in the adjournment of 7000 pending cases. The lawyers did not attend case hearings in any of the courts. The lawyers said that the government should refrain from exercising authority and instead should solve the political impasse through a dialogue with protest leaders. Lawyers claimed that they would take to the streets if any unconstitutional or unlawful steps are taken in Islamabad.
Lawyers have also observed complete strike in Peshawar, following the appeal of Pakistan Bar Council, against the attack of PTI and PAT protestors on Parliament House premises and the police torture on journalists, women and children during the Islamabad protests yesterday. Several cases have been postponed without any court proceedings as the lawyers stayed away from the courts. All those waiting for the case hearings are suffering a great deal. Lawyers in Peshawar have similar claims that the government should avoid misuse of power and instead adopt the path of dialogue with Imran Khan and Tahirul Qadri. The lawyers are of the view that the sit-in protests apart from causing difficulties to the people are also resulting in a massive damage to the country s economy. The lawyers warned that they will go on a rampage if any unconstitutional measures were adopted in Islamabad.
Balochistan Bar Association has issued a strike call against target killings of journalists in Quetta and the police assault on journalists in Islamabad during the protest on Sunday. The lawyers in Balochistan have boycotted court proceedings against the target killings of three journalists Arshad Mastoi, Abdul Rasool and Muhammad Younas on August 28. The lawyers in Balochistan have also condemned the police attack on journalists during the Islamabad protest while they were covering the clash between the PTI and PAT protestors and the police. In response to Balochistan Bar Association, the lawyers of High Court, Session Courts and District courts have boycotted court hearings and have raised black flags in the bar rooms.
