Police in Lahore on Wednesday arrested dozens of lawyers after their protest at the GPO Chowk near the premises of the Lahore High Court (LHC) turned violent, triggering several clashes between law enforcers and members of the legal fraternity.
The action cleared the protest site of lawyers, but left uncertain the future of the lawyers’ plans.
A day earlier, lawyers had announced they would protest against the bifurcation of civil courts and the registration of terrorism cases against some of their colleagues, most notably over their involvement in the May 9 riots. Local media reported that the lawyers were initially allowed to gather for their protest, but police moved in to disperse them as they announced an intent to barricade judges inside their offices until their demands were met.
As the protest advanced, lawyers also pushed out petitioners from the courtroom of Justice Anwarul Haq Pannu. Reportedly, the LHC had requested a heavy deployment of police to deter lawyers from protesting inside the court premises.
Speaking with Geo News, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Faisal Kamran said police were showing restraint, but would have no choice but to act if the lawyers committed any legal violations. Referring to baton-charges and tear-gas shelling, he alleged these actions were a response to lawyers hurling stones at them. Two police officials, he claimed, were injured in the clash, triggering the forceful response.
According to the police official, 2,000 personnel were deployed for the security of the LHC. He said attempts were underway to negotiate peace with the lawyers, but the Lahore High Court Bar Association denied it was engaging with police. A senior official of the lawyers’ body claimed the lawyers were protesting for the rule of law and an independent judiciary—though these were not the stated aims of the protest when it was announced. He further told media the lawyers would remain encamped outside the LHC until they were allowed to conduct a session of the general house within court premises.
The lawyers’ protest, comprising 100-200 members of the legal fraternity, severely hampered traffic on Lahore’s Mall Road, a main artery, creating traffic snarls in the city center.
As the protest—and clashes between police and lawyers—continued for several hours, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz said she had asked the inspector general of Police to “refrain from using force” against the lawyers. However, she added in a post on X, the protesters should likewise resolve their issues with the LHC “amicably” and avoid all confrontation for the safety of the citizens of the provincial capital.
While the issue of the lawyers’ protest remains unclear, the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) said it would issue a call for a nationwide strike and stage rallies to voice its displeasure at police “high-handedness” against the legal fraternity.