Deadline to DPO for ‘rioters’ arrest

Published April 23, 2008

MIANWALI, April 22: The legal community on Tuesday gave another two-day deadline to the Mianwali DPO on his request for the arrest of 21 nominated `rioters’ who set ablaze lawyers’ chambers after the maltreatment of former federal minister Dr Sher Afgan in Lahore on April 8.

Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, district bar association (DBA) president Sultan Sikandar Khan threatened to resume strike if the police did not arrest the nominated accused.

The bar chief said despite a lapse of two weeks the police had not arrested rioters who were roaming freely and doing their businesses.

Khan claimed that he and his colleagues had recognised the rioters, who had set on fire their chambers, barroom and library.

He alleged that the `arson plan’ was hatched at the presidency as chambers of lawyers, who were political rivals of Dr Afgan, were set ablaze.

He said bar members had unanimously banned the entry of Dr Sher Afgan and his son Amjad Ali Khan, Mianwali tehsil nazim, into barroom forever.

He claimed that Dr Niazi wanted to visit the bar to tender an apology for arson but “now it is too late and lawyers are not ready to accept his apology.”