After lawyers attacked the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC), at least nine patients are believed to have died as a result of the violence at the government-run hospital in Lahore.
According to eyewitness accounts, including relatives of those who died as a result of the lawyers actions at the hospital premises, lawyers actively attempted to cut off life support systems for patients and damaged hospital equipment.
A woman, Bushra Bibi, was among the deceased. Her son and brother confirmed her death to media personnel during the clash between the lawyers and doctors.
It is believed that the number of deceased could increase, as when lawyers entered hospital wards, all medical staff attempted to evacuate the building.
Lawyers also attacked the Punjab provincial minister, Fayyaz Chauhan, and a reporter of a private media outlet, Kinza Malik.
According to Human Rights Minister Shireen Mazari, 40 lawyers have since been arrested by the police. On Twitter, she writes: "Absolutely horrifying that those who are supposed to act in accordance with the law chose to become terrorists when they attacked PIC in Lahore killing patients in the process."
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Shehbaz Sharif, Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar, and the federal government have all condemned the lawyers' actions.
The vice-chairperson of the Pakistan Bar Council, Syed Amjad Ali Shah, also condemned the lawyers' actions. Many social media users have demanded that the provincial and federal bar councils forbid offending lawyers from continuing any form of legal practice.
In November, lawyers' groups had earlier alleged that their fellow colleagues had been "tortured" by doctors following a clash between a medic and a lawyer at PIC. Police then began an investigation into 12 doctors and paramedics at the hospital on November 24.