GUJRAT, May 13: Lawyers observed a strike after they heard on Thursday noon that the Sadar police had instituted a case against 356 PML-N activists, including bar secretary-general Raja Rasheed Jaral and arrested him.

Information gleaned by this correspondent revealed that the case had been registered for taking out a caravan to receive exiled PML-N leader Mian Shahbaz Sharif on Tuesday. Participants of the caravan were intercepted by police over Chenab bridge from where they were dispersed after a massive baton charge.

However, a case has been registered against 356 men, including six nominated - Raja Rasheed Jaral advocate, Zafar Iqbal advocate, Commander Abdur Rahman of Lalamusa, Raja Basharat, Mir Sagheer and Chaudhry Jaffar Iqbal. The police have sealed the FIR.

Raja Rasheed Jaral is the GBA secretary-general and a PPP union council Nazim from Jalalpur Jattan. Panic gripped the local lawyers when they heard that their colleagues had been picked up by police. They immediately boycotted the court affairs and observed a complete strike. They also filed a writ petition in the court of district and sessions judge against the highhandedness of police.

A delegation of lawyers led by bar president Tariq Javed Chaudhry met the D&SJ and apprised him of the situation. It was learnt that the judge had summoned the DPO and Sadar SHO to appear before court on Friday (today). Meanwhile, lawyers of Gujrat, Kharian and Sarai Alamgir will observe a complete strike on Friday (today).