JHANG: The stand-off between the District Bar Association (DBA) and the district administration continues over the passage being demanded by the bar, connecting the district courts to the newly-built Justice Khalid Khan Block, housing 10 civil courtrooms.

Talking to Dawn, DBA President Sanaullah Ranjha said Justice Khalid Khan Block was established at a distance of about half kilometre from the district courts last year.

A large number of lawyers and litigants had to shuttle between the two buildings. The lawyers had to reach the new block after a walk of half kilometre on Nuzhat Shah Road which posed a serious threat to their security.

There were at least two more roads, connecting the old courts with the new block that pass through the DPO Office and the General Post Office (GPO), which were used by the public until a few years back when they were closed due to security.

The DBA demands opening of these roads at least for the lawyers. It approached the district and sessions judgefor the acceptance of their demand. The judge constituted a committee, comprising DCO, DPO, additional district and sessions judge and six members of the bar.

A committee meeting held under the chairmanship of the district and sessions judge on Sept 3. During the deliberations almost all the members agreed to the point of view of the DBA regarding security of the lawyers. The committee decided that the road to the new complex should be opened within two days through the GPO because Nuzhat Shah Road was a serious security threat for the lawyers.

Since then the district administration and police have been allegedly hoodwinking the DBA and their demand hasnotbeenaccepted.

Mr Ranjha said he had written a letter to the Lahore High Court chief justice, stating if the district administration did not accept the lawyers` demand, they would go on an indefinite strike and boycott the courts.

The spokesman for the DPO office said if the lawyers were allowed to use the road passing by the of fice, the litigants would also use it, posing a security threat to the office.