SARGODHA: Cantonment police have registered a case against 40 lawyers — out of whom six have been nominated — under various provisions of law, including Section 7 of Anti-Terrorism Act, for locking the assistant commissioner in her office.

Until Saturday night no first information report (FIR) had been registered against the lawyers as the local administration was allegedly avoiding confrontation with them apprehending resistance and protest by the community.

But on the directions of Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, the deputy commissioner directed police to register the case and also ordered their arrest.

A large number of lawyers had ransacked the court room and office of Assistant Commissioner (AC) Dr Anam Sajid and locked her up in her office on Saturday. She was later rescued by police. Sanaullah Khan, an official of the AC office, had lodged an FIR about the incident with Cantonment police.

The Sargodha district bar association (DBA) voiced concern over registration of the case and raiding of lawyers’ residences. DBA General Secretary Waseem Saleem Dogar asked the administration, particularly police, to refrain from the raids. He also warned that all the nominated lawyers will be present in the bar and if police dared to arrest them all the officers will be taken hostage.

Lawyers of Sargodha division have announced a strike from today (Monday) on the call of the DBA. Dogar said the district administration had filed the FIR despite negotiations with lawyers. He said they would protest until Dr Anam was transferred from Sargodha and the “false case” against them quashed.

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2017