Govt decides to call in Rangers after Lahore lawyers attack

LAHORE: The federal government on Wednesday decided to deploy Rangers across various important locations in the city following the lawyers attack at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) earlier during the day. 

The interior ministry said that 10 platoons and two companies of the paramilitary force have been deployed in the city. 

 One platoon will be deployed at the Governor House while another will be stationed at the area surrounding Lahore GOR I and II.  

The rest of the platoons, one each, will be deployed at the GPO Chowk Mall Road, Punjab Assembly, the Supreme Court Registry, Lahore High Court, Civil Secretariat, Aiwan-e-Adal, the IG office. One platoon will also be deployed at the PIC.

The interior ministry said that two companies will be present in the city as a reserve force. Rangers have been deployed in the city as per the Anti-Terrorism Act 1997 4(XXII) and 5.

The paramilitary force has been deployed under the Pakistan Rangers Ordinance 1959 provision seven and 10.

Lawyers storm emergency ward of Punjab Institute of Cardiology 

A group of lawyers stormed the emergency ward of the PIC, vandalising public property, setting a police vehicle on fire and attacking provincial minister Fayyaz ul Hasan Chohan.

Following the attack, a woman died due to lack of medical attention, while several patients were forced out of the building to sit on footpaths.

As per the deceased woman's son, his mother complained of pain, after which he tried to get hold of a doctor but the doctors went on a strike due to the attack.

Videos of the incident shared on Twitter showed police officials, clad in riot gear, were rendered helpless as a swarm of lawyers, outnumbering the law enforcement personnel, broke the entrance of the hospital.

There were reports of casualties at the emergency ward of the hospital as a result of the confusion and fear that spread inside the facility as the lawyers barged into the building. It was not clear why the group of lawyers stormed the cardiology hospital.