PESHAWAR: The lawyers’ community on Monday observed boycott of courts across the province over manhandling of a senior lawyer by a police officer in Chitral some four days ago.

The boycott was observed on the call of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council.

The lawyers mostly did not turn up at courts, including the high court.

The KP Bar Council condemned the manhandling of senior lawyer Syed Burhan Shah and keeping him in illegal confinement by Mastuj sub-divisional police officer in Booni four days ago.

The council also condemned the baton charge and tear gas shelling on protesting health professionals and their arrest by the police in Peshawar and demanded of the government to withdraw cases against the doctors and set them free.

Meanwhile, the strike of the legal community entered the second day in Chitral on Monday against the manhandling of senior lawyer.

The lawyer had alleged that when he went to Kaghlusht to take possession of his recently-purchased land, SDPO Mastuj Rajab Ali, at the behest of his opponents, forcibly took him to his office and beat him blue and black with the help of guards.

The lawyers started boycotting the courts in Chitral, Booni and Drosh when the local police did not register case against the police officer.

District bar president Khurshid Hussain Mughal said the strike would continue till registration of FIR against the police officer.

Published in Dawn, October 1st, 2019