ISLAMABAD – A group of lawyers on Monday stormed the building of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) while protesting against the demolition of their chambers by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) in an anti-encroachment drive last night.
The protesters barged into Chief Justice Block where they smashed windows and raised slogans against IHC CJ Athar Minallah outside his chamber, forcing him to confine himself inside the chamber.
Special security force troops, according to reports, were not present on the occasion when the lawyers entered the block.
On Sunday, the CDA razed illegal chambers built by lawyers in the premises of the district and sessions court in Islamabad.
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Now, Rangers and officials of Counter-Terrorism Department have been deployed at the Islamabad Judicial Complex to bring the situation under control.
Proceedings in the high court and district courts have been suspended until further orders while petitioners have been barred from entering the building.
During the violent episode, the protesters also manhandled the journalists who were trying to filming their hooliganism at the IHC building.
IHC Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani and IHC Bar Association President Haseeb Chaudhry have asked the lawyers to stop protest and go ahead for dialogue to settle the issues.
The lawyers, in response, said that they will not hold talks until the razed chambers are restored, adding that police have also arrested some of their colleagues.
Justice Kiyani asked the lawyers to give him the names of arrested lawyers, adding: “I will order the SP to [release them]”.
Haseeb Chaudhry termed the damages to the IHC building his losses, adding that he will extend the support if violence is topped.
Justice Kiyani said that the anti-judiciary elements will take advantage of the situation and urged the lawyers to stop making the matters more worse.
