Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA) restricted police personnel from entering the sessions court’s building in the federal capital on Monday. The lawyers ordered the policemen sitting in a court’s canteen to leave the premises immediately. Large numbers of lawyers under the leadership of IHCBA President Naeem Gujjar were present outside the Sessions Court building. A protest rally will be taken out at 11 am from the District Judicial Complex to the SSP office, in which a large number of lawyers will participate.

Heavy contingents of police were deployed outside the Islamabad High Court building and other sensitive areas. Earlier on Saturday, the Islamabad High Court Bar Association announced a three-day strike which will start from January 26 to 28, to protest the allegedly unfair treatment and unprofessional attitude of the police. The decision was reached during a joint session of the Islamabad Bar Council and the IHC Bar held at the Bar office.

The meeting participants strongly condemned the police’s behavior toward the President and Secretary of the IHC Bar.  They also denounced the move to bar lawyers from attending the Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) and demanded an immediate end to the harassment of the legal community. Leadership appealed to the legal fraternity to abstain from appearing in court on January 26. They reaffirmed their commitment to the rule of law and expressed their determination to maintain lawyer unity.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)