LA HOR E: In a joint letter to the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), the top regulatory body of lawyers in the country, some senior lawyers have condemned the attack on the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) by a group of lawyers and sought stern action against the perpetrators.

`We unequivocally condemn the attack on the PIC by members of the legal fraternity. We are anguished because it is inconceivable and unconscionable that those licensed to practice the law and uphold its majesty could choose to attack a hospitalirrespective of reasons, provocations or motivations,` reads the letter signed by 56 senior lawyers from different parts of the country, including Abid Hassan Minto, Dr Pervez Hassan, Ali Sibtain Fazli, Mansoor Umar Awan, Uzair Karamat Bhandari, Raza Kazim, Makhdoom Ali Khan, Tariq Mahmood, Salman Akram Raja, Babar Sattar and Faisal Hussain Naqvi.

It says allowing degeneration of a conflict leading to violence on others, public property and a healthcare facility can never be justified and is grossly violative of the higheststandards to which the profession of law holds its practitioners.

`These actions have sadly brought disrepute to the legal profession as a whole and humiliated the legal fraternity,` adds the letter.

The lawyers say they believe the society has conferred great responsibility upon them to act as custodians of rule of law and endowed them with enormous trust by placing on their own shoulders the obligation to regulate themselves.

`We are pained by calls for strikes against court proceedings by the bar councils and bar associations,` state the advocates.

They also note with regret that Pakistan Bar Council and different bar associations have not condemned the incident in clear and unequivocal terms.

`We expect that strict disciplinary action will be taken immediatelyagainst all licenced lawyers who participated in this unfortunate incident and are penalised by the Pakistan Bar Council as the apex regulatory authority of the legal profession for having grossly breached cannons of professional conduct failing.

They call upon the bar councils and bar associations to take affirmative steps to restore the integrity, respect and sanctity of great legal profession.

`We also demand that all those, who violated the law and committed illegal acts during this incident and eventsleadinguptothisincidentare proceeded against pursuant to proper investigation strictly in accordance with law, without undermining the constitutionally guaranteed rights of the accused or affording them exceptional treatment, and the due process of law is allowed to take its course,` the letter concludes.