OKARA: Lawyers on Monday took out a procession and announced a strike seeking transfer of the district coordination officer, allegedly for not allowing them to build chambers on a piece of land.

At a meeting of the District Bar Association, president Rai Muhammad Shafi Kharal said he along with DBA Secretary Syed Zahid Abbas Bokhari met DCO Saifullah Dogar on Feb 21 to seek permission for construction of chambers for lawyers on a piece of land lying vacant adjacent to EDO (Finance) office.

He said former DCO Syed Gulzar Shah had approved the site for the chambers. However, he said, the present DCO suggested that another storey of the old chambers’ building should be constructed to accommodate more lawyers.

As the bar officials did not agree to the suggestion, the DCO deputed DOC Allah Yar Dhakoo to visit the site and file a report.

He said on Feb 22, when the DBA members had gone to Lahore for casting their votes in the Lahore High Court Bar polls, the administration started earth-filling on the land demanded by lawyers.

This infuriated the lawyers who following an emergent bar meeting took out a procession. Reaching in front of the DCO office, they chanted slogans against the officer and demanded his immediate transfer.

Senior lawyers, including DBA president, the secretary general and others delivered speeches and announced a strike till the DCO’s transfer.

The DCO told journalists he had no issue with the DBA lawyers and the matter would be taken up after consultation with the district and sessions judge.

INJURED: A police constable shot at and injured a man and his brother for demanding back the borrowed money.

Police said constable Iqbal had borrowed money from Babar, a resident of 5/4L village, about six months ago.

On Sunday night, as Babar and his brother Zafar went to Iqbal’s house and asked him to return the money, he got infuriated and opened fire injuring both of them.

The injured were rushed to the hospital from where Babar was referred to Jinnah Hospital, Lahore, in a serious condition. A case was registered by B Division police station.