KARACHI: Police on Wednesday registered a criminal case against several lawyers for allegedly assaulting the City Courts SHO after he lodged an FIR against them for roughing up YouTuber Rajab Butt.

As a result, the legal fraternity on Wednesday observed a complete strike in protest against the registration of the case against Advocate Riaz Ali Solangi, Advocate Abdul Fatah Chandio and “another 15-20 lawyers” for allegedly manhandling the YouTuber when he appeared before a sessions court for pre-arrest bail in a religious sentiments hurting case.

On Tuesday, a group of lawyers stormed the City Courts police station, manhandled the SHO and then staged a protest sit-in on M.A. Jinnah Road demanding an FIR against Mr Butt.

The police, however, registered a case on the complaint of City Court SHO Jahangir Bhutto against lawyers under Sections 337-A (punishment of shajjah), 504 (intentional insult), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 147 (punishment for rioting), and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of their duty) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC).

KBA boycotts judicial proceedings at City Courts; efforts underway for reconciliation between lawyers, YouTuber Rajab Butt

The complainant said that on December 30, he received a call while out patrolling that “around 40-50 lawyers” had forced their way into the Risala police station, which had been temporarily set up at the City Courts police station. He alleged that they were creating a ruckus and demanding that a FIR be registered against Butt and his lawyer.

“When I reached the police station around 2pm, the lawyers demanded to know why I had allowed a FIR to be registered against them,“ SHO Bhutto said. “They asked me to register a FIR against Butt and his lawyer. I tried to make them understand that a case had already been registered [..] upon hearing this, they started verbally abusing me and then proceeded to kick and punch me,” he recalled.

He said that the lawyers left after the police staff came to his rescue. “However, they started chanting slogans and gave me death threats as they marched out of the station,” he said.

Lawyers defer strike till 3rd

In response to a strike call by the Sindh Bar Council, lawyers in City Courts boycotted the court proceedings.

Addressing a general body meeting over the registration of an FIR against lawyers, Karachi Bar Association President Aamir Nawaz Warraich deferred the call for a complete strike until January 3.

He said that the counsel for YouTuber Rajab Butt, Mian Ali Ashfaq, had been in contact with the association and that both sides — complainant and defence sides — had agreed to resolve the matter through talks and mutual understanding.

He claimed that Mian Ashfaq would visit the office of the KBA on Jan 3, saying that the stance of both sides will be heard and the association will play the role as mediator.

Regarding the case against the lawyers, Mr Warraich assured the members of KBA that “no further action will be taken” against them.

In a separate statement, the KBA stated that the Punjab Bar Council, Sindh Bar Council and KBA jointly explore mechanism for peaceful dialogue, inter-bar coordination and lawyers to lawyers dispute resolution, strengthening unity within the legal community on inter-provincial grounds.

Demanding to register a case on the complaint of lawyers’, the statement said that the matter should be referred to a neutral joint investigation team or joint inquiry committee comprising representatives of the bar and councils.

The association said that it did not “welcome, justify, solicit, defend, or support any act of violence, clash, disorder or disruption inside court premises”.

“The association holds firmly that judicial spaces must remain protected under the highest standards of law, dignity, decorum, and professional discipline, where advocates, litigants, judges, and institutions interact in a respectful and non-violent environment, consistent with the long-standing ethical traditions of the legal profession,” it added.

“The association further clarifies that the genesis of the incident was a private disagreement that originated on social media platforms including TikTok and other digital forums, involving an unfortunate exchange of harsh and challenging words between individuals,” the statement concluded.

Published in Dawn, January 1st, 2026