LAHORE, December 12: Two FIRs have been registered against more than 250 lawyers who attacked Lahore’s Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC), allegedly tortured doctors and attendants, and damaged hospital property and police vehicles. 52 lawyers were arrested in connection with Wednesday’s incident. On Wednesday, lawyers had staged a violent protest at the PIC apparently on a mission to avenge a group of lawyers, who had been beaten up at the PIC a few weeks ago, soon after some video clips went viral on the social media showing some doctors making fun of the lawyers while recalling the incident.
The outraged attackers, mostly young faces dressed in black suits and sporting neckties, spared no one present on hospital premises, where several serious cardiac patients are under treatment at any given time. The situation worsened when a mob stormed into the emergency department, seemingly in search of some doctors. In view of the approaching danger, the doctors fled the scene.
As the condition of some critical patients deteriorated in the absence of doctors, three PIC patients, including a girl and an elderly woman, passed away.
After hours of continued violence, police had arrested dozens of lawyers and unblocked the road. The Punjab government also summoned extra troops of Rangers personnel to maintain law and order.
He added that realising the seriousness of the situation, he sat in the car to leave. During this process, his car climbed onto the footpath and lawyers surrounded it and started damaging it.
He said that one of the protesters said to set the police vehicle on fire and to kill the police officials, adding that the protesters fired on the police vehicle and set it on fire.
The case was registered on Wednesday under Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act and Section 290 (public nuisance), 291 (continuance of nuisance after injunction to discontinue), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 353 (assault), 324 (attempt to murder), 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house, etc) and 186 (obstructing a public servant in discharge of public functions) of the PPC.
A day after the protests, services at PIC remain suspended with the exception of the coronary care unit (CCU). Meanwhile, clean up at the hospital is underway. Patients have been shifted to other hospitals.-Sabah
