LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Wednesday sought details of identification parade in the PIC attack and vandalizing case. The LHC bench heard petitions filed against arrests of lawyers from their houses and offices during raids in connection with the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) attack.

The Punjab chief secretary, home secretary and IG appeared before a high court bench consisting of Justice Sayyed Mazahar Ali Akbar Naqvi and Justice Sardar Ahmad Naeem.

Police chief told the bench that the police were acting according to the law and the case is being investigated as per the set standards. “The police didn’t target a particular group”, he said.

“The Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) attack is unfortunate, there is no space for an adventure in the country,” the Lahore High Court remarked.

“Why the faces of the lawyers were covered when they produced in the court,” the court asked. To which “The police acted against those persons, who were arrested from the scene of the incident,” police chief replied.

“The perpetrators should face the consequences, why were those bothered who were not involved,” the court questioned.

“Why the police didn’t act earlier, when the lawyers covered six miles distance to reach the hospital,” the bench further asked. “Police stopped them again and again but at that time the lawyers were peaceful,” IG Punjab replied. “If the police allowed them to protest at the PIC,” the judge asked. “Police didn’t grant such permission,” police chief replied.

“Why didn’t police stop the lawyers from protest at the hospital? The police department should accept its failure,” the bench remarked.

“Police used tear gas to disperse the lawyers’ mob,” Advocate General told the bench. “If tear gas should be used at such place,” the court questioned. “How many people died in the incident”, the bench asked. Three people died in the incident, provincial home secretary informed the bench.

The LHC ordered to not prosecute guiltless lawyers, but vowed proceedings and investigations against “whoever has sinned” during the clash between the doctors and lawyers at the Pakistan Institute of Cardiology (PIC) in Lahore on December 11.

The petitions had sought the release of lawyers, restraining police from torture, implicating in false cases and harassing them after the tragic incident.

Pakistan Bar Council member Ahsan Bhoon appeared to represent the legal fraternity of lawyers, and argued that the arrested lawyers were subjected to torture by police, and their faces were covered with black veils when they were produced in the court for remand.

Mr Bhoon meant that the lawyers were humiliated and some of the lawyers sitting at Race Course Park, Lahore, were also arrested and tortured.

“An apology has been made to the general public [over the incident],” he added.
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On Dec. 16, Judge Arshad Hussain Bhutta of anti-terrorism court (ATC) sent eight more lawyers to judicial remand in the same incident.

Speaking to media, vice president of Supreme Court bar Ghulam Murtaza Chaudhry and lawyer Zaheer Anayat Malik said that police presented eight lawyers but failed to provide any investigation report.

The police sought physical remand of the accused lawyers. However, the court rejected the physical remand of lawyers, and instead granted judicial remand.

On the other hand, an inquiry committee, constituted by Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar to find out the culprits responsible for the violent clash and identify the roles of lawyers, doctors and police, has been carrying out investigation.

The findings by the inquiry committee in a form of a report will be made a part of measures which will be devised and implemented to prevent occurrence of such incidents in the future.

Advocate Nadeem Sarwar had earlier filed a petition in the LHC against police raids on lawyers’ homes for their arrest. Punjab Inspector General (IG) Shoaib Dastgir, Capital City Police Officer (CCPO) Zulfiqar Hameed and Pemra were made respondents in the application. The application had pleaded with the court to issue directives for the protection of lawyers and halt police from arresting them. Later, Chief Justice of Pakistan Asif Saeed Khosa had termed that the incident “tragic and condemnable”, and stated those who belong to the respected profession would go through the process of self-accountability.

CJP Khosa had said that the attack at the PIC should not have occurred at the first place, and expressed sympathy towards the victims and affected families.