64 lawyers booked under ATA

JARANWALA: The City Police have registered a case against 34 nominated lawyers and 30 others under various sections of the Pakistan Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), including the controversial Section 7 of the ATA, following a clash between police and lawyers.

The altercation erupted after the arrest of a lawyer’s brother. The lawyers alleged that the police subjected them to severe physical abuse inside the police station, while police officials present a contrasting narrative, claiming that the lawyers attacked the station.

The FIR includes charges of attacking the police station, assaulting on-duty officers, and damaging government property.

The incident has triggered a strong backlash from legal circles. In response to the case against the lawyers, the Punjab Bar Council and the Jaranwala Bar Association have announced a strike across the division. As part of protest on Saturday, the lawyers refrained from appearing in courts. Condemning the police action, the bar associations termed the FIR “false and baseless”, demanding immediate withdrawal of the charges.

Meanwhile, a special anti-terrorism court in Faisalabad granted interim bail to 30 of the accused lawyers until October 11.