LAHORE: The atmosphere outside the Lahore High Court (LHC) Wednesday turned chaotic after a clash between the police and lawyers who were protesting against the division of civil courts and terrorism cases against their colleagues.

The police, therefore, arrested several lawyers as the protests intensified. The Lahore High Court Bar Association has denied conducting negotiations with the police. On the other hand, lawyers have kicked out petitioners from the courtroom of Justice Anwar-ul-Haq Pannu. Speaking with a private news channel, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Operations Faisal Kamran said the police will continue to show restraint, but will take action according to the law if there is a violation from the lawyers.

“The police are showing maximum patience and restraint,” he said, adding that the police only used tear gas after lawyers pelted stones at them. “One of our SHO and one constable has been injured,” he said.

The DIG Operations said there are at least 2,000 personnel for the security of the high court. DIG Operations Faisal has also reached the GPO Chowk for negotiations with the lawyers. Lahore High Court Bar Association’s Munir Bhatti said the lawyers are demanding the rule of law in the country as well as the delivery of justice and an independent judiciary. “We will see if there will be negotiations,” he said, demanding the withdrawal of notices of transfer of courts and seven Anti Terrorism Act (ATA) cases.

He also said that the lawyers will not go back to the high courts without holding a session of the general house. The lawyers are seated on the steps of the Orange Line station at the location to avoid tear gas shelling by the police. The metro bus station at the GPO Chowk has been closed, while traffic flow has been severely affected on Mall Road.

Earlier today, the lawyers, during their protest, tried entering the high court and removing the barricades around its premises. They also threw stones at the police, as they attempted to blocked their way.

In order to disperse the charged lawyers at the GPO Chowk, the police resorted to baton-charge, started shelling and used water cannons to stop the lawyers from moving forward. A heavy contingent of police has been deployed at judges' gate of the LHC while the police have also arrested two of the protesting lawyers. Meanwhile, traffic flow at Mall Road and adjoining roads has also been severely affected.

At least two to three dozen lawyers are peacefully protesting outside the court, while the police have warned them against moving ahead. The police, however, said they will arrest if the lawyers use violence in the process. The local administration was aware of the protest’s conduct a day earlier, while no one from the authorities arrived at the spot for talks with the lawyers.

The lawyers, on the other hand, are insistent to be allowed into the court’s premises and are chanting slogans against the police stopping them from entering. Meanwhile, the judges and other lawyers are present inside the courtrooms, but no work is currently being done. The protesting lawyers had planned to protest outside the LHC chief justice’s office, but police feared the lawyers might try to take law in their hands, hence it stopped them from entering inside the LHC's premises.