LAHORE, Nov 3: Contrary to general expectations that the conflict will come to an end in the wake of an invitation extended by the chief justice to the bar for resolution of disputes, a group of lawyers —- mostly government law officers —- on Monday resorted to unruly tactics against Lahore High Court Bar Association president Hafiz Abdur Rahman Ansari.

The bar president and his companions, by way of their calm and composed disposition, ultimately survived and came out of the trouble.

Meanwhile, the LHCBA has urged the lawyers to observe a countrywide black day on Nov 6 to protest against the unfortunate incident.

Earlier, some ugly incidents were witnessed. The law officers, with the help of some people who were brought here from Sialkot and other districts in two buses, shouted slogans against Mr Ansari and beat the office door when he was inside along with fellow lawyers and office-bearers.

Another attempt by the same set of people was made towards the end of the working day when police were also called in to help the opposing group take the possession of Mr Ansari’s office. The police returned at 3:30pm without any operation though the office was vacant after Mr Ansari’s departure at 1:25pm.

LHCBA vice-president M.M. Alam Chaudhry had earlier told newsmen that he had taken over as acting president after Mr Ansari had been restrained by the Punjab Bar Council to use the office. Later, he expressed his inability to be a party in the case.

Mr Alam was reportedly hold a press conference in the office of Mr Ansari’s office to announce that he would be the acting president till the next elections in February next year.

An army of media people, including photographers, waited till 3:30pm when a police officer told a newsman: “We were waiting for your departure; your presence was a deterrence for us.” He indicated that an operation might take place at later hours.

The opponents of Mr Ansari stuck bills against him across the bar premises and held a meeting which was attended by 30 to 35 people wearing black coats.

Presiding over the meeting, senior lawyer Mian Jamil Akhtar lamented against the bar leadership which had politicized the forum against the wishes of most lawyers.

The key figure of the meeting was Advocate Aftab Bajwa who, after failing in securing the public address system and dice from the staff, accused Mr Ansari of tactics which had brought the bar-bench relations into disrepute.

He claimed that with the passage of a no-trust resolution moved by Abdul Wahid Chaudhry on Oct 31, Mr Ansari had lost the confidence of the community and the mandate to hold the office of the bar president.

As the meeting was in progress, some non-partisan lawyers continued raising controversial issues but their criticism was not heeded to. They pertinently asked about the probe into the spending of Rs1.5 million by Punjab Bar Council vice-chairperson Arif Chaudhry on the dinner he had hosted for Chief Minister Pervaiz Elahi. The question was raised when Arif Chaudhry was present along with Saiful Malook, on whose complaint of misconduct, he had restrained Mr Ansari from acting as president.

Meanwhile, Hafiz Ansari, Kazim Khan and other lawyers entered the Kiyani Hall where the meeting was being held. They shouted slogans against the transportation of outsiders who were hired to sabotage lawyers’ unity.

Mr Ansari said the bar members had faced the highhandedness with patience and forbearance and it was up to senior members to see and decide who was at fault. This entailed slogans in favour of Mr Ansari.

The latest developments show that M.M. Alam Chaudhry has again gone into the bar folds and is supporting the president. “I wholeheartedly support the bar and its leadership,” Mr Chaudhry told Dawn in the evening.

SUPPORT: Monday’s ugly events seemingly served as a factor for the unity and consolidation of the bar and Mr Ansari has undoubtedly emerged stronger than before.