LAHOREThe present tension between the Bench and the Bar over the transfer issue of a judicial officer, appears to have subsided but recurrence of the likes of it cannot be ruled out in future unless factors working in the roots are addressed. The abrupt reaction both by lawyers and the judicial officer ballooned the situation out of proportion. Two parties clashing each others, were on the scene but whose purpose has been served by that, needs to be assessed. The question whether transfer issue was that big to oblige the lawyers to march on the chief justice court and whether breaking of a few panes was that serious a matter to declare the lawyers terrorists. Things could not gone that worse had some body been in between to objectively take stock of the situation and show the way to a peaceful settlement. The situation at present, although, has boiled down to calmness yet senior lawyers and observers feel that certain elements still want to keep the cauldron boiling at least till October 13 and preferably after that, to let the thick clouds hover over to deal with any situation. If that is the case, then roots of the unpleasant situation appears in some well thought out plan to which the Punjab Judiciary fell a prey without realizing the situation would aggravate to the point of creating a deadlock in the judicial system. For the observers some elements wants chaos in Punjab and head-on of judiciary and the lawyers is the course to achieve that end. Thanks good sense prevailed and further damage controlled, but the situation is still simmering. A worrisome aspect of the matter is a clear and wide division in the lawyers ranks unlike the united stand they took against Pervez Musharraf and struggled for the restoration of independent judiciary. In case a political based hostile groups come up face to face, the situation is very much likely to take to highly serious turn perhaps costing heavily to the country. This must be checked beforehand for it is unaffordable given the plight of the poor masses, and the tension and depression they are receiving externally from the growing US offencive overtures. The Punjab government is trying to find out behind the curtail factors but at the same time a permanent joint body of the Bench is needed to address their grievance on either side. Lawyers have reservations on National Judicial Policy which envisages quick disposal of cases, which they believe is being done at the cost of quality justice. They feel offended when the CJ speaks in favour of a political party and against the other. As such judges need respect and not treatment with shoes or boxes and abuses. Both have a point in their case and only a combined platform can provide the answer.