ONE can’t imagine that lawyers, who are supposedly officers of the court, can resort to an unlawful act. The ethos of society has plummeted so low that even the custodians of law tend to indulge in hooliganism.

Famous English poet Geoffrey Chaucer once said: “If gold rusts, what then can iron do?” The recent rampage by a group of lawyers at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) has stirred a wave of grave concern across the country. The most deplorable aspect of the unfortunate incident was that a judge was held hostage.

We should not forget that the founder of the country was a lawyer who always believed in the rule of law. His entire freedom struggle was within the ambit of the laws of the land.

On no occasion he preached violence; even in the face of the worst provocation by the British and the Hindus. How can lawyers justify an illegality? It is beyond comprehension that some bar associations in the country are condemning the demolition of illegal chambers built on a football ground.

Reason dictates and justice demands that the unruly lawyers involved in this horrific incident must be dealt with as per law.

Prof Sarwar Pathan
Sukkur

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IT is ironic that various bar councils have asked the government to release the lawyers who recently attacked the Islamabad High Court (IHC). The bar councils are also asking the government to continue to allow lawyers to illegally use public land for their offices, reconstruct all the offices that were demolished, and to build proper offices for lawyers in the future.

The fact is that all the arrested lawyers should be punished to the maximum extent as they are supposed to be the keepers of justice. Similarly, the bar councils should be asked to get their accounts audited and pay taxes on behalf of their member lawyers.

Of all the people, lawyers need to treat their profession with due respect in order for others to respect them.

Shahryar Khan
Peshawar

Published in Dawn, February 27th, 2021