ABBOTTABAD: Tensions escalated in Abbottabad on Thursday over the demolition of a water filtration plant being constructed at the District Bar premises, with lawyers protesting against the district administration and several government departments staging a counter-demonstration.
The dispute centres on a clean-water filtration plant reportedly being constructed at a cost of Rs2 million at the District Bar premises. Assistant Commissioner Afrasiab Zubair Hindal, accompanied by TMA staff, declared the construction illegal and carried out an operation on Wednesday evening during which the walls of the structure were demolished.
The action triggered protests by lawyers, who gathered outside the Deputy Commissioner’s office and subsequently announced a boycott of courts. The lawyers have demanded the removal of the assistant commissioner from the district, with a wider strike across Hazara announced for Friday.
The situation intensified on Thursday when the TMA Revenue Department and other district government offices were reportedly locked in solidarity with the administration. Government employees also held a rally towards the Press Club and raised slogans against the protesting lawyers.
According to the lawyers, construction work on the filtration plant had been continuing for around one and a half months using funds associated with proceedings before the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the Peshawar High Court. They have accused the administration of unlawfully interfering with the project.
Later, lawyers held another rally from the court premises towards Fawara Chowk. The situation became tense outside the new tehsil building, where stone-pelting was reported. District Bar Secretary Asad Jadoon was injured during the incident, while some lawyers reportedly climbed the wall of the tehsil building.
The lawyers subsequently staged a sit-in at Fawara Chowk and raised slogans against the assistant commissioner. A heavy police contingent was deployed at the site under the supervision of SSP Malik Salman.
An 11-member committee headed by District and Sessions Judge Abid Sarwar has been formed to examine the incident and the circumstances surrounding the dispute. The committee includes representatives of the District Bar, High Court Bar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council and senior lawyers.
The committee held a meeting on Thursday evening and is scheduled to meet again to review the matter.
Meanwhile, prominent local figures have called on both sides to resolve their differences through negotiations. Police have also received applications from both lawyers and the district administration regarding the incident.
The continuing protests and closure of government offices have affected routine administrative work, while litigants have faced difficulties because of the court boycott and the strike involving other departments.
Despite the earlier demolition, reconstruction of the filtration plant’s walls was reportedly completed by Thursday evening in the presence of a bailiff.