December 07, 2007	Friday	Ziqa'ad 26, 1428

MULTAN, Dec 6: At least 10 lawyers and seven policemen were injured in clashes here on Thursday at district courts complex.

Reports said lawyers had planned a protest rally against the alleged police torture on their colleagues on Nov 6 and imposition of emergency in the country.

District Bar Association secretary-general Mumtaz Noor Tangra said the government did not allow them to protest peacefully.

He said lawyers wanted to hold a peaceful rally from district courts complex to Katchery Chowk and had requested the police to the effect, but the force baton-charged them when they reached near the main gate of the complex.

He claimed that three lawyers — Khalid Ashraf, Azam Khan and Adil Mushtaq — were critically injured while seven others suffered minor wounds.

On the other hand, regional police officer Mirza Muhammad Ali said the force had been ordered not to stop lawyers from holding demonstration.

He said when a police team went to request lawyers not to damage property, the latter attacked the former with clubs as a result seven cops sustained injuries. He said the police had been deployed 200 metres away from the place of the protest.