Karachi: Lawyers allegedly assault city court SHO following FIR filing

KARACHI: A group of lawyers allegedly assaulted the Station House Officer (SHO) of the City Court Police Station, ARY News reported, citing police sources.

According to the police, approximately 30 to 40 lawyers tortured the SHO. The incident reportedly occurred after police registered an First Information Report (FIR) against several lawyers involved in yesterday’s alleged assault on Rajab Butt.

The police stated that the lawyers were infuriated by the registration of the case against them.

On the other hand, the lawyers provided a different account, claiming they had approached the SHO to register a counter-FIR. They alleged that the incident escalated only after the SHO refused to file a case on their behalf.

Earlier in the day, lawyers have been booked for assaulting YouTuber Rajab Butt during his court appearance at the Karachi City Court.

An FIR was registered by Rajab Butt’s lawyer, Barrister Mian Ali Ashfaq, in connection with the premeditated attack on Rajab Butt at the Karachi City Courts by a group of lawyers.

According to the FIR, Advocate Riaz Ali Solangi and his associates were named in the FIR, which includes sections 147, 148, and 149 of the Pakistan Penal Code for rioting, assault, and unlawful assembly.

In his statement, Barrister Ali Ashfaq, the complainant, explained that he had accompanied his client, Rajab Butt, to the City Court to seek interim bail.

Upon their arrival, Butt was reportedly attacked by Advocate Riaz Ali Solangi, Abdul Fatah, and 15 to 20 other individuals, leaving him injured.

“He was also harassed and threatened with death. His bag, which contained three lakh rupees in cash, was snatched from him,” said Ashfaq.

The assault took place as Butt was present at the court to attend a hearing in a blasphemy case filed against him at Haidery Police Station. He had been granted interim bail in the matter.

Butt, along with Nadeem Naniwala, had appeared before the City Court in Karachi on Monday. As soon as he entered the court compound, a group of lawyers allegedly launched a physical attack on him.

Eyewitnesses reported that the YouTuber was beaten, sustaining injuries to his jaw and mouth, which caused bleeding. His clothes were also torn during the assault. His legal counsel attempted to intervene and stop the attack.

Court staff and police personnel later reached the scene and managed to disperse the attackers after a tense situation developed.