LAHORE, June 28: The Pakistan and Punjab Bar Councils, the Supreme Court Bar Association, the Lahore High Court Bar Association and the Lahore Bar Association have demanded the arrest of the accused named in the FIR lodged by Lahore Press Clug President Arshad Ansari in connection with illegal detention and manhandling of journalists and depriving them of their mobile phones and cash after the press conference of the Postal Services director-general here recently.

Lahore High Couret Bar Association President Ahmed Awais, Vice-President Syed Zulfiqar Ali Bokhari, Secretary Azam Nazir Tarrar and Finance Secretary Sarfraz Ali Khan said in a statement that the journalists had been subjected to state terrorism by those trying to enslave the entire nation.

The said that the bar would not only join the protest of the journalists but also provide them legal assistance in case the accused were arrested.

Pakistan Bar Council Members Muhammad Kazam Khan and Raja Mahmood Akhtar, Punjab Bar Council Members Shahid Mahmood Bhatti and Muhammad Ahsan Bhoon and Supreme Court Bar Association Vice-President Ali Ahmed Kakar and Lahore Bar Association President Mirza Hanif Baig said that the treatment meted out to the journalists was an attack on the freedom of press and those involved were required to be brought to book to prove that the government believed in maintaining the rule of law in the country.

They said that the Corps Commander should take the personnel involved in the incident to task.