LAHORE, April 15: A group of lawyers on Friday thrashed Anti-Corruption Establishment Assistant Director Umar Farooq who is investigating a case against former SSP investigation Shafqaat Ahmad Bhaddar.

The officer had come to appear before the court of Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik with regard to a petition filed by the former SSP for cancellation of a case against him.Advocate Chaudhry Wasim Bhaddar, a relative of Shafqaat Bhaddar, was leading the lawyers who gave a sound beating to the ACE officer when he came out of the courtroom.

The lawyers hurled abuses at him and tried to snatch record of the case, accusing him of not conducting investigation on merit. ACE officer Umar Farooq later informed the judge about the treatment meted out to him and the judge asked him that he could initiate legal proceedings against the lawyers.

At this the officer left the court premises but the infuriated lawyers again beat him up.

Highly frustrated and angry, Umar Farooq again went to the judge and loudly said he did not to work. “I am resigning from job. There is no respect. I want justice,” he told the judge.

The ACE officer alleged that both parties involved in the case of Shafqaat were pressuring him but he was doing investigation on merit.

Justice Malik took strong notice and called Lahore High Court Bar Association President Asghar Ali Gill who tried to placate the official but to no avail. — Staff Reporter