IHC open despite strike called by lawyers body: spokesperson

• Spokesperson says cause list of today’s cases was cancelled after different lawyers bodies went on strike
• Official says all judges, including IHC CJ Athar Minallah, are present in their chambers

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) announced on Tuesday that it was working despite the strike called by the lawyers’ body following the registration of cases against the lawyers who stormed the high court a day earlier.

An IHC spokesperson said that the cause list of today’s cases was cancelled after different lawyers bodies went on strike. He clarified that now the high court and all the district courts are functional.

The spokesperson said that the cause list was cancelled so people do not face any difficult situation. He added that all the judges, including IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah, are present in their chambers.

Read more: Islamabad lawyers storm IHC building to protest CDA's demolition of chambers

“IHC and district courts are no longer closed,” said the spokesperson.

The cause list for cases scheduled for today was suspended on the orders of the IHC CJ Athar Minallah following the strike called by the lawyers body. 

The strike was called after police registered cases against lawyers following the attack on the court and chambers of the IHC CJ by the lawyers on Monday.

Police register FIR against lawyers who stormed IHC

Late Monday night, Police registered cases against the lawyers who had stormed the premises of the IHC and vandalised it, forcing IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah to confine himself to his room.

The IHC, in a statement, said that cases have been registered against the lawyers who stormed the high court and inflicted damage at the premises of the IHC.

Police have been raiding different parts of the city to arrest the lawyers who were involved in the violent protest.

Read more: Police register FIR against lawyers who stormed Islamabad High Court

Twenty-one lawyers have already been booked by police for being involved in the protest and separate contempt of court proceedings will be initiated against those found guilty of the offence, the high court had said on Monday.

The IHC stated that it had sent a reference to the Islamabad Bar Council to suspend the licenses of the lawyers who were involved in the protest.

Lawyers' mob smashes windows of CJ block to protest CDA's action

A mob of lawyers smashed windows in the Chief Justice block, chanting slogans outside the IHC Chief Justice's office in a violent protest against the recent action by the Capital Development Authority (CDA).

The CDA had on Sunday night demolished illegal chambers set up by lawyers in the premises of the district and sessions court in Islamabad.

Sources had said the Special Security Unit was not present when the lawyers started their protest.

Officers from the Islamabad police arrived at the scene after considerable delay, sources had confirmed

IHC CJ Athar Minallah was reportedly forced to confine himself to his chamber as the violence unfolded.

The protesting lawyers chanted slogans against the IHC CJ, while journalists and several protesters had clashed when the journalists tried to record footage of the hooliganism on display.

The entrances to the IHC were closed since 10 am, sources said, adding that lawyers and clerks had been barred from entering, and the service road leading to the court premises were also closed.