PIC attack: LHC bench recuses from hearing pleas for release of lawyers

LAHORE (92 News) – A two-member bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) recused from the hearing the pleas for the release of lawyers involved in the attack on the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC). The bench comprising of Justice Ali Baqar Najafi and Justice Anwarul Haq sent the pleas to the chief justice for their hearing by another bench. The provincial government and IGP Punjab have been made the parties in the application. During the last hearing, the court had ordered the Lahore CCPO to present the report. In the plea, Ijaz advocate contended that the police had arrested the lawyers from their houses and offices. He said that the lawyers were also tortured in detention. He prayed to court order immediate release of the lawyers. On December 13, the Lahore High Court (LHC) had adjourned the pleas for the release of lawyers arrested in the PIC incident till December 16. Justice Ali Baqar questioned the petitioner whether he could a single explanation for launching the attack on the PIC. “There are black sheep in the profession. We are hearing the case with a great difficulty,” he remarked. "How did you dare to attack the hospital? Azam Nazir Tarar said that they had condemned the incident on TV shows. The court asked the lawyers to publicly admit that they had planned the attack and were going to take action against the responsible colleagues. “Such incidents do not occur even during wars,” he said. Earlier on Friday, Lahore High Court Chief Justice Sardar Shamim Ahmed Khan had formed a two-member bench to hear the pleas for the release of lawyers arrested in the PIC incident. Earlier, Justice Anwarul Haq Punno had referred the case to the CJ and recommended the formation of a two-member bench. Justice Mazahar Ali Naqvi advised the lawyers to go to PIC with bouquets and resolve the matter. Senior lawyers say the incident was an outcome of the negligence of the government. “It is wrong to hold the lawyers responsible for the incident,” they said. They demanded that judges of the Supreme Court should hold an inquiry into the matter.