JHANG: Lawyers did not appear in courts here on Tuesday responding to the district bar association’s strike call after police booked 20 lawyers under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) for “kidnapping and thrashing” a traffic warden.

According to FIR (221/18), a warden, Javed Ahmed, imposed fine on a lawyer, Asad Ali Raza, who was driving a car at Nawaz Chowk, for violation of rules two days ago.

The lawyer nurtured a grudge against the warden. On Tuesday, he arrived at Nawaz Chowk, where Javed Ahmad was performing his duty, with 10 identified and 11 unknown lawyers and their clerks.

Lawyers go on strike on DBA’s call

The lawyers and their accomplices snatched the warden’s wireless set, subjected him to torture and took him to the chamber of Advocate Zia Qazmi where he was detained for hours.

The warden was later rescued by senior lawyers and police officials.

The Kotwali police station in-charge, on the complaint of the warden, lodged an FIR against the suspects under section 7 of the ATA and 382, 353, 342, 186 and 148 of the Pakistan Penal Code.

Meanwhile, in reaction to the registration of the case, DBA secretary general Niaz Ahmed gave a strike call, asking lawyers not to appear in the courts.

He claimed that the police lodged a “fake and bogus” FIR against the lawyers which was not acceptable.

He added the lawyers would decide their future course of action during an emergency meeting of the DBA.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2018