LAHORE – Lawyers in Pakistan went on strike, demanding police to release dozens of their colleagues arrested after a clash outside Lahore High Court on Wednesday.
A large contingent of Punjab police was witnessed outside Lahore High Court (LHC) after protests by the legal fraternity amid crackdown on their demonstration in the provincial capital.
This crackdown was in response to the lawyers’ protest against the filing of terrorism-related cases against their colleagues and the shifting of civil courts.
Police arrested several lawyers during a violent protest demanding dismissal of cases against their fellows and withdrawal of the notification for transfer of civil courts to Model Town.
In wake of police high-handedness, lawyers announced a boycott of court proceedings and planned meetings at the LHC and Aiwan-e-Adal. In solidarity wit lawyers, courts in Karachi and other cities will remain closed. Prisoners were also not brought to court due to the strike.
