A judiciary held hostage
Lawyers shout slogans during their demonstration at D-Chowk in the federal capital. ONLINE PHOTO
ISLAMABAD:
Despite playing an important role in the restoration of judges in March 2009, the image of the legal community has been badly affected due to a high number strikes and incidents where large groups have displayed an alarming level of rowdy and violent behaviour. Even the justice system seems to have been taken hostage by them.
In cases where one lawyer has displayed violent behaviour, several others have often banded with him. In cases where a lawyer has been arrested for said violent behaviour, hundreds of others have tried to foil arrest attempts, protested outside courts and taken to streets in strike attempts. The scenes often resemble more closely to those of thug-like street gangs rather than upstanding citizens in charge of upholding and protecting the law.