ISLAMABAD: The federal police have registered a case against the lawyers who earlier in the day stormed the premises of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) and vandalised it, forcing IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah to confine himself to his room.
According to a statement, the IHC said that cases have been registered against the lawyers who stormed the high court and inflicted damage to the premises.
In this regard, the federal police have started carrying out raids in different parts of the city to arrest the lawyers who were involved in the violent protest. Almost thirty-four lawyers have been booked by police.
In addition, contempt of court proceedings will be initiated against those found guilty of the offence, read the high court’s press release. The IHC stated that it had sent a reference to the Islamabad Bar Council (IBC) to suspend the licenses of the lawyers who were involved in the protest.
Earlier in the day, a mob of lawyers smashed windows in the Chief Justice block, chanting slogans outside the IHC Chief Justice’s office in a violent protest against the recent action by the Capital Development Authority (CDA).
The CDA, on Sunday night, demolished illegal chambers set up by lawyers in the premises of the district and sessions court in Islamabad. Sources had said the Special Security Unit was not present when the lawyers started their protest.
IHC CJ Athar Minallah was reportedly forced to confine himself to his chamber as the violence unfolded. The protesting lawyers chanted slogans against the IHC CJ, while journalists and several protesters had clashed when the journalists tried to record footage of the hooliganism on display.
