Lawyers on rampage to ‘protest’ demolition of illegal structures in F-8

Lawyers on rampage to 'protest' demolition of illegal structures in F-8

ISLAMABAD, Feb 08 (APP): Lawyers on Monday vandalized the Islamabad High Court (IHC) building to ‘protest’ the demolition of illegal structures erected by them in the District Courts here in Sector F-8 by the Capital Development Authority.

The CDA Enforcement Directorate, with the help of district administration and police smashed all the offices illegally built by the lawyers on the footpaths and roads in and around the F-8 Markaz, commonly known as District Courts in its anti-encroachment operation on Sunday night.

Lawyers on rampage to 'protest' demolition of illegal structures in F-8
Press Release of CDA warning action against “illegal construction and encroachment” at public place

Enraged over the operation, a large number of lawyers entered the IHC premises and went on the rampage smashing the window panes of the Chief Justice’s block and the office of Sessions Judge Tahir Mahmood.

They also entered the chamber of Chief Justice Athar Minallah, who remained confined there. A heavy contingent of police reached there to control the situation.

The lawyers also manhandled the journalists for making videos of their hooliganism.

 

Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani offered the lawyers leaders to resolve the matter through negotiation.

He also asked them to remove their colleagues from the chief justice’s chamber. All the IHC courts remained closed due to the unfortunate incident.

Meanwhile, the Islamabad Police on Monday booked lawyers for attacking and ransacking the offices at Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Block.

A first information report (FIR) to the effect was registered at Ramna Police Station, F-8.
According to an IHC spokesperson, contempt of court proceedings would also be initiated against the lawyers namely Tasaduq Hanif, Shehla Shan Abbasi, Hammad, Umer Khayam, Ahsan Majeed Gujjar, Khalid Mehmood, Shaista Tubasam, Yasir Khan, Mrs Naheed, Mrs Afsheen, Raja Fakhar, Naseer Kiyani, Arbab Ayub Gujjar, Asadullah, Raja Zahid, Liaqat Manzoor, Naveed Malik, Khalid Taj, Shoaib Chaudhry, Meraj Tareen and Zafar Khokher.
References would be sent to the Islamabad Bar Council (IBC) for cancellation of their licenses, the spokesperson said in a statement.

Lawyers on rampage to 'protest' demolition of illegal structures in F-8
Copy of FIR against lawyers on the attack at the chambers of the Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court

Meanwhile a group of 70 lawyers in a statement “condemn[ed] the assault” on the Court of Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court and ransacking of his office and said “attack on the judiciary is an attack on the very foundations of the legal profession itself.”

Lawyers on rampage to 'protest' demolition of illegal structures in F-8

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