ISLAMABAD: An accountability court on Friday was forced to defer the indictment of Sharif family members after a melee outside the Federal Judicial Complex (FJC) disrupted proceedings of the high-profile case.
Tensions began early in the morning, when a sizeable contingent from the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Lawyers’ Forum — who wanted to witness the indictment of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law retired Captain Mohammad Safdar — was stopped by police at the G-11 checkpost, some 200m from the complex.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Sajid Kiani, who was overseeing security arrangements, did not allow the lawyers through, even though they had a high court directive that ordered police not to stop lawyers and litigants from entering the FJC.
• Lawyers trying to force their way into judicial complex baton-charged by police • Proceedings against ex-PM, Maryam and Capt Safdar deferred until Oct 19 • Imran Khan accuses PML-N of attacking judiciary; interior minister orders inquiry
The situation degenerated into a brawl when the lawyers tried to cross the police picket by force and were baton-charged in return.
In the scuffle, a lawyer named Chaudhry Farid suffered a head injury, while a woman lawyer’s leg was fractured. Another senior woman lawyer’s uniform was torn.
Despite the deteriorating situation, however, police did nothing to calm the protesting lawyers and continued to keep them away from the FJC until Capt Safdar’s vehicle arrived.
As soon as the former prime minister’s son-in-law arrived at the spot, lawyers mobbed his vehicle and managed to enter the court complex. However, they were repelled by police officials when they tried to enter the courtroom.
Meanwhile, the accountability judge had not yet arrived in the courtroom and Barrister Jahangir Jadoon of the PML-N asked a court official to apprise the judge of the unfortunate incidents occurring outside.
By this time, Maryam Nawaz and her spouse had both arrived in the courtroom for their indictment.
When the judge arrived in court, a PML-N lawyer tried to raise slogans, shouting “We want rule of law”. However, he was hushed by his peers.
Initially, the judge tried to calm the agitated lawyers. However when the injured Advocate Farid was brought before him, the judge announced he was adjourning proceedings and deferred the indictment until Oct 19.
Speaking to reporters after proceedings, Maryam Nawaz Sharif regretted the maltreatment of lawyers and called on the interior ministry to hold an inquiry and identify those responsible for the melee.