Lawyers in Pakistan initiated a strike, demanding the release of numerous colleagues who were detained following a clash outside the Lahore High Court. A significant presence of Punjab police was observed outside the Lahore High Court in response to protests by the legal community, amid a crackdown on their demonstration in the provincial capital.
The crackdown occurred following protests by lawyers against the filing of terrorism-related cases against their colleagues and the relocation of civil courts. Several lawyers were arrested during the protest, which turned violent, as they demanded the withdrawal of cases against their peers and the reversal of the notification regarding the transfer of civil courts to Model Town.
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In response to the perceived police brutality, lawyers announced a boycott of court proceedings and scheduled meetings at both the Lahore High Court and Aiwan-e-Adal. Additionally, courts in Karachi and other cities were expected to remain closed in solidarity with the lawyers’ cause, and prisoners were not brought to court due to the strike.
