LAHORE, Pakistan: The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan has given a countrywide strike call on Tuesday against Daska incident that left at least two lawyers including the president of the Daska bar association dead.
Earlier in the day, two lawyers including the President Daska Bar Association Rana Khalid Abbas were killed and two others sustained injuries during a clash between protesting lawyers and police in Daska tehsil of Punjab’s Sialkot district.
In a statement on Monday, Imran Khan strongly condemned the Daska incident and said that they will stage protest demonstrations 03:00 pm tomorrow.
Imran Khan alleged that the Punjab police were being used as the private militia.
The sources said that officials of Daska Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) along with the Station House Office (SHO) of Daska city police station Shehzad Warraich were conducting an anti-encroachment drive in Daska tehsil when local residents and lawyers staged a protest to seek more time from authorities.
In order to disperse the protestors, the SHO opened straight fire which resulted in injuries to six persons including President Daska Bar Association Rana Khalid Abbas and another lawyer Irfan Chauhan.
The injured were rushed to the Civil Hospital Daska where Rana Khalid Abbas and Irfan Chauhan succumbed to their injuries while getting medical treatment.
Punjab govt decides to form JIT to probe Daska incident
The Punjab government has decided to form a Joint Investigation Team (JIT) including members from police, ISI and IB to probe the Daska incident.
In addition, the provincial government has also issued orders for suspension of TMO Daska and of making assistant commissioner Daska an OSD.
CJ LHC takes notice of Daska incident
The Chief Justice Lahore High Court took notice of the killings and summoned the heads of various lawyers organizations.
The CJ also sought a report from the Daska district and sessions judge as a meeting went under way in this regard. During the meeting, it was decided that Rangers personnel would be sought to maintain the law and order situation in the violence-hit areas.
Punjab assembly passes resolution condemning Daska incident
The Punjab assembly in Lahore also passed a resolution against the Daska firing incident while the provincial government spokesman Zaeem Qadri said that those involved in the incident will be arrested.
The opposition lawmakers in the House on the occasion staged a token walk out over Daska incident while chanting “Lathi Goli Ki Sarkar Nahi Chale Gi”.
Following the incident in Daska, protests erupted in several cities across Punjab including Lahore, Multan, Faisalabad and Gujranwala. The lawyers also resorted to attacks on police personnel and mobile vans.
The lawyers also held a protest outside the Punjab assembly against the killing of their colleagues. They also blocked the Mall road for traffic.
Meanwhile, the Punjab Bar Council announced two days of complete strike over Daska incident.
Nawaz Sharif expresses concern over law &Â order situation in Daska
On the other hand, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif expressed concern over the law and order situation in Daska and said that nobody would be allowed to take law into his own hands and damage public property.
The prime minister sought a detailed report into the incident and asked the concerned authorities to take immediate measures to pacify sentiments of lawyers community.
The Punjab Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif also took notice of clash between lawyers and police in Daska and sought a report from RPO Gujranwala.
The Chief Minister also expressed sorrow and grief over the death of Daska Bar President Rana Khalid Abbas and directed that the injured should be provided best possible medical facilities.
