The strike by Lahore Bar Association lawyers entered its third consecutive day on Thursday, further disrupting court proceedings and restricting access to the Sessions Court premises.
Lawyers locked the entry and exit gates of the Sessions Court early in the morning and prevented visitors from entering the court complex.
The continued protest caused difficulties for litigants, lawyers and court staff seeking access to the premises.
The strike follows an ongoing dispute over cases registered against lawyers. Protesters have demanded the immediate withdrawal of those cases and have also renewed their call for the abolition of DHA courts.
A day earlier, Lahore Bar Association President Irfan Hayat Bajwa reiterated the lawyers’ demands and said the protest would continue until their concerns were addressed. During Wednesday’s strike, litigants were allowed to enter the courts only after 11am.
The disruption has also affected the production of accused persons before courts, as prisoners were not brought from jails for scheduled hearings.
As a result, proceedings in a large number of cases have been delayed.
According to court sources, fresh hearing dates have already been issued in around 10,000 cases due to the ongoing strike, adding to the burden on the judicial system and creating difficulties for litigants awaiting the resolution of their cases.
Court operations remained severely affected on Thursday as lawyers continued their protest and maintained restrictions on access to the Sessions Court complex.
