The issue emerged two days ago when a lawyer Ghufranullah Shah reportedly exchanged hot words with Additional Assistant Commissioner (AAC) Aftab Ahmed and his guards, leading to a scuffle at a filling station in Chamkani area of the provincial capital. Later, the guards of the official arrested the lawyer and lodged an FIR against him.
The lawyer community later protested and also stormed the office of Deputy Commissioner Peshawar. Footage of CCTV camera also went viral, showing the lawyers damaging the main gate of the DC office and chanting slogans against the bureaucracy.
Later on, the lawyers moved a court of law and the judge ordered registration of FIR against the AAC and his staff as well.
On Sunday, the officers from Pakistan Administrative Service, Provincial Management Service and other unions of government employees announced to observe strike across the province today (Monday) as they said that the judge should have first listened to them while announcing the verdict.
Meanwhile, the lawyer community, on the call of KP Bar Council, also announced to observe strike today (Monday) against what they called manhandling of the lawyer.
Both bureaucracy, lawyers announce strike today as both parties defend their positions over issue arose due to
reported scuffle between a lawyer, additional assistant commissioner and his guards
Peshawar High Court Bar Association (PHCBA) General Secretary Farooq Afridi told this correspondent that lawyer Ghufranullah Shah was waiting in a queue at the filling station to get fuel for his car when AAC along with his staff came there to get fuel out of turn. However, he claimed, the lawyer objected to it and a scuffle started.
He alleged that a fake case was later registered against the lawyer and he was also beaten up.
“An FIR has been lodged against AAC and his staff under section 506 (threatening someone) and section 324 (attempted murder). The bureaucracy should let the police complete the probe,” he added.
However, a spokesman for the DC office said that the vehicle of the AAC was running on diesel, not petrol, and hence the lawyer’s claim was wrong that AAC was filling petrol in his vehicle.
He further said that the lawyers stormed the DC office on the holiday and damaged the main gate and also the billboards of the office.
PMS Association General Secretary Irfanullah Mehsud said that lawyers attacked the DC office, which is located close to the Judicial Complex, and caused damage there. He alleged that lawyers refused to settle the issue through negotiations and instead stormed the DC office.