In a resounding display of solidarity and condemnation, a General House Condemnation Meeting convened at Kayani Hall on May 9th, 2024, to denounce the reprehensible acts of violence perpetrated against lawyers by the Punjab Government and the Punjab Police. The meeting was prompted by the shocking incidents of brutal torture, lathi charges, and shelling inflicted upon respected lawyers who were peacefully protesting and subsequently arrested.
Prominent figures from the legal fraternity, including Mr. Ahsan Bhoon, Advocate Supreme Court and Member of the Pakistan Bar Council, Munir Hussain Bhatti, Member of the Pakistan Bar Council and President of the Lahore Bar Association, and Barrister Qadir Buksh Chahal, Secretary of the Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBAR), addressed the General House Meeting, alongside other esteemed members.
Mr. Ahsan Bhoon, in his impassioned speech, condemned the excessive and unwarranted use of force by the Punjab Government and law enforcement agencies against lawyers exercising their democratic right to peaceful protest. “The barbaric treatment meted out to our fellow lawyers is a blatant violation of their fundamental rights and an attack on the very foundation of justice and rule of law,” declared Mr. Bhoon.
Munir Hussain Bhatti echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the indispensable role of lawyers in upholding the principles of justice and safeguarding the rights of citizens. “The reprehensible actions of the Punjab Government and Police not only undermine the sanctity of the legal profession but also threaten the democratic fabric of our society,” remarked Mr. Bhatti.
Barrister Qadir Buksh Chahal, Secretary of LHCBAR, underscored the urgent need for accountability and justice for the victims of police brutality. “We demand immediate release of the unlawfully detained lawyers and urge authorities to hold those responsible for the violence accountable for their actions,” asserted Barrister Chahal.
The General House Condemnation Meeting concluded with a unanimous resolution condemning the atrocities committed against lawyers and calling for swift and decisive action to ensure the protection of their rights and dignity. The legal fraternity vowed to continue their struggle for justice and uphold the principles of democracy and rule of law in the face of oppression and tyranny.
