Lawyers threaten countrywide movement if 'PM does not step down in 7 days'
The Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) and the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) have threatened to launched a countrywide movement calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif if the premier does not step down in seven days.
Both bar associations are of the view that in light of the Supreme Court's ruling on the Panama Papers case, the prime minister should no longer hold the position and should therefore resign, a joint notification issued by the two bar associations said.
The notification from the two bodies came soon after SCBA and LHCBA members clashed with lawyers supporting the ruling Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) government at the all Pakistan lawyers’ representatives convention on Saturday.
The convention was called to reiterate the lawyers' demand for Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's resignation in wake of the Panama case verdict and also discuss the role of the bar associations in this regard.
Read more: What next for Nawaz?
Saturday's clash between the two sides began as members from the PML-N's Lawyers Wing tried to prevent members of the SCBA and LHCBA from reaching the convention stage and starting its proceedings.
As the clash went on, pro-PML-N lawyers took SCBA president Rasheed A. Rizvi to a library on the premises and locked him in. Rizvi was later freed when the locks were broken by SCBA members.