SARGODHA: Members of Sargodha’s District Bar Association (DBA) on Friday continued to agitate for the establishment of a Lahore High Court bench.

The lawyers also expressed their annoyance over registration of a case against 20 lawyers under 7 Anti-Terrorism Act and locked the main entrance of the sessions court and adjoining government offices.

The Cantonment police constituted a special squad for raiding the residences of the lawyers who resorted to hooliganism on Thursday, they did not make any arrest. The lawyers including those nominated in the case visited the Bar room and also participated in the protest on Katchery Road.

DBA President Ansar Abbas Baloch is allegedly orchestrating the protest against the government on political grounds. PTI’s Dost Muhammad and Ubaidullah criticised DBA General Secretary Saadullah Warraich (a PTI leader who is chairman of the Punjab Horticulture Authority’s Sargodha chapter) for “playing in the hands of the president.”

FAISALABAD: A delegation of the DBA called on the DC and apologised for disrupting a meeting during their agitation the other day.

Commissioner Asif Iqbal, Regional Police Officer Ghulam Mahmood Dogar, City Police Officer Ashfaq Ahmed and lawyers including Changez Kakar and Javed Awan were also present.

A group of lawyers while protesting for the Lahore High Court bench for Faisalabad barged into the DC office and disrupted a meeting being presided over by DC Saifullah Dogar. The lawyers also roughed up the DC.

On Friday, lawyers also blocked traffic on the road in front of the district courts. They also announced strike over the issue.

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2018