Lawyers block road in Peshawar

 Protest arranged after one of their colleagues broke traffic law and exchanged hot words with traffic warden

PESHAWAR: The lawyers blocked a busy road in the provincial capital on Thursday to protest the arrest of one of their colleagues.

The police had arrested a lawyer after he allegedly exchanged hot words and scuffled with a traffic warden.Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Cantonment, Kamal Hussain said that the lawyer, Farmanullah Khalil, had first violated the traffic rules and then exchanged hot words and scuffled with Sub-Inspector Shah Wali.Police officials and eyewitnesses said the lawyer had first started beating the traffic police and it led to the fist fight.They said the police arrested the lawyer, but let him go when the lawyers headed by president of the Peshawar District Bar Association blocked the Khyber Road in protest against the police.

An eyewitness said that due to the traffic mess on the road, lawyer Farmanullah Khalil started driving on the wrong side. He said that when the police stopped him, he exchanged hot words with the traffic warden and then started beating him. On the other hand, the former President of District Bar Association Razaullah Khan told The News that they had submitted an application under section 22-A CrPC in the court of District and Sessions Judge, Peshawar for registration of FIR against the police official.

There is frequent traffic jam on the Warsak Road where several large educational institutions have been established. In particular, there are scores of vehicles dropping and picking up the students at these schools in the mornings and afternoons and this contributes to the traffic mess and cause problems for citizens.Meanwhile, the Peshawar High Court Bar Association has demanded suspension of the traffic police official and an impartial probe into the incident.In a press release, the PHC Bar Association said that one of the traffic cops while misusing his power attacked the lawyer and then unlawfully confined him in the lock-up. In an urgent meeting of the PHCBA held under its president Muzzamil Khan, the association demanded suspension of the police official till completion of an impartial probe into the incident.