FAISALABAD: A police contingent deployed at the district court for the purpose foiled some lawyers’ attempt on Monday to sabotage the election procession when they besieged the courts while nomination papers were being obtained and filed.
The lawyers have been protesting to demand a Lahore High Court bench in Faisalabad. The Faisalabad Bar Association had warned that they would stop the election process if a bench was not set up before the general elections.
The protesting lawyers surrounded the offices of returning officers to stop them from obtaining and submit the nomination papers. The lawyers had previously vowed at a lawyers’ convention that they would not let probable candidates submit or get their papers.
After the lawyers surrounded the courts, a large police contingent arrived.
Police said the lawyers tried to close the doors of the courts on the returning officers, but were stopped by the police team that succeeded in pushing them aside, making way for the candidates.
Some policemen and lawyers were slightly injured in the scuffles, however, no serious injuries were reported.
Muhammad Saleem, who sought to obtain a nomination form for PP-65, told The Express Tribune that he was stopped by some lawyers from entering the returning officers’ court. He said he finally managed to get in after some two hours when the police pushed the lawyers aside.
Talking to The Express Tribune later, FBA president Mian Javaid Iqbal said that the lawyers had clear instructions not to take law in their hands. He also said that lawyers would not give up their demand for the establishment of a bench in Faisalabad.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 26th, 2013.