Pakistan Lawyers on Countrywide Strike After Clashes with Doctors - Reports

Lawyers across Pakistan boycotted courts on Friday in protest against the arrest of their colleagues, who were taken into custody after riots broke-out at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) in Lahore, according to Dawn media reports.

Lawyers were demanding the immediate release of the arrested colleagues and the scrapping of charges filed against them under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Video footage shows lawyers calling for a boycott against the alleged bias and ill-treatment of government and police.

The arrested lawyers were taken amid tight security with their faces covered.

Another video showed lawyers protesting against doctors over the incident and threatening them against entering Pasrur city.

A statement issued by Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) said the boycott was in protest against the “partial and biased conduct of the local police and the administration of Lahore against lawyers as well as the action taken by the Islamabad High Court against the Secretary-General, Islamabad High Court Bar Association."

Four patients died at the cardiology hospital on 11 December which was allegedly ransacked by lawyers, hampering the treatment of patients in critical condtion.

Videos surfaced online, showing alleged lawyers vandalising hospital property, attacking staff and damaging cars parked around the hospital. The vehicles were also burnt down during the clashes and gunshots were fired in the air by lawyers.

Simmering Tensions between Lawyers and Doctors

According to ‘The News’ website of Pakistan, tensions between the two erupted on 24 November when a lawyer's mother was admitted to PIC, where a scuffle broke out with the hospital staff and doctor. 

The fresh clashes of 11 December were the result of a viral video, in which a young doctor is mocked by lawyers.