Pakistan - Unruly lawyers

Violent protests erupted in several cities of Punjab after a clash between the police and lawyers that resulted in the killing of two lawyers in Sialkot’s Daska Tehsil. Daska Bar Association President Rana Khalid Abbas and lawyer Irfan Chauhan succumbed to injuries caused by the firing of Daska SHO Shehzad Warraich while two others were critically wounded. Mystery shrouds the actual reason for the initial scuffle between lawyers and the police. There are three different versions related to the incident. First, it was an anti-encroachment drive launched by the Town Municipal Administrator (TMA) with the help of police that was resisted by local residents and lawyers, who were seeking more time from the authorities. Second, according to the government, it was a land dispute between two parties. Third, two lawyers had come to the TMA’s office for the verification of a marriage certificate and non-cooperation of the officials led to this tragedy. Whatever the reason maybe, the subsequent incidents that followed were more worrisome.

Soon after the incident, lawyers resorted to violent agitation. Pitched battles were held between the police and lawyers in different cities of Punjab including Multan, Sialkot, Faisalabad and Lahore. In Lahore, lawyers blocked the traffic on The Mall and raised slogans against the government. They tried to barge into the Punjab Assembly building and set ablaze a shade at the entrance. Some other unfortunate incidents also occurred despite the government’s efforts to pacify the agitating lawyers. Incidents of violence were reported from other cities also. Furious lawyers vandalised government offices and damaged police vans. They resorted to attacks on police personnel and vehicles. Due to the political affiliation of murdered Rana Khalid Abbas with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI), its chairman Imran Khan jumped into the controversy and took the government to task. The Pakistan Awami Tehreek compared this incident with the one that happened in Model Town, Lahore. In both incidents, the situation went out of control due to poor handling by the police. On its part, the Punjab government has taken a number of steps to ease tension. The Town Municipal Officer Daska has been suspended and the Assistant Commissioner Daska has been made OSD while the accused SHO has been arrested. Taking notice of the incident, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has ordered a judicial inquiry into the incident.

No protest justifies straight shooting by the police. This was the failure of the law enforcement officials led by an SHO who did not enjoy a good reputation. The police should have shown some restraint. On the other hand, the reaction shown by the lawyers is not justifiable either. Despite being custodians of the law, they did not behave within the parameters of applicable law. They have adopted an impatient approach and are demanding instant justice. Instead of setting examples for others, the lawyers themselves resorted to violence and ransacked public property. They have demanded of the Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court to take suo motu notice of this case, which is unnecessary because all the necessary modalities are already being followed and the culprit is behind bars. The case is clear and there is no need for a judicial inquiry as announced by the Chief Minister. Such incidents are bound to happen unless the government brings reforms in the police department. This is just another example of blatant disregard for the laws of the land by the police. Our guardians of the law are still inept in handling such situations that cause bigger tragedies. The lawyers are also not above the law. Since 2007, there has been a change in the attitude of lawyers and there are many instances where lawyers took the law into their own hands. Lawyers need to understand that there is a course of action and the accused must be punished as per law. Smashing police vans, beating up policemen and vandalising government offices do not portray a good image of lawyers. No doubt, the incident was very tragic and the police action cannot be justified. The lawyers should abandon violence and wait for justice to take its course. No law gives the right to the lawyers to cause damage and spread violence when the accused is behind bars.