- Income tax officers halt office work in a protest against lawyers’ ‘hooliganism’
- Lawyers allege additional commissioner was demanding ‘favours’
The officers and staff of the Income Tax Department locked up their office on Tuesday putting a halt to their work in a protest against lawyers for allegedly roughing up an income tax official on Monday.
Heavy contingents of the police were deputed outside their respective offices at Mauj Darya to avert any untoward incident.
Earlier on Monday, employees of the Income Tax Department went on strike after a group of lawyers ‘manhandled’ an additional commissioner and ransacked his office.
The lawyers alleged that Additional Commissioner Farrukh Majeed demanded illegal gratification to give them relief in a case, while the income tax officers claimed that the lawyers turned violent when the additional commissioner refused to admit their ‘illegal’ demand.
Eyewitnesses said the employees of the Income Tax Department also attacked lawyers when the black coats manhandled the additional commissioner and broke window panes of his office. Some lawyers suffered minor injuries during the scuffle.
The lawyers took out a protest rally and blocked Mauj Darya Road. They also filed an application to the police for registration of a case. The police and the officers negotiated late till Monday night to arrest the responsible.
Later on Monday, the office-bearers of the Lahore Tax Bar met Lahore High Court Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial and sought strict action against the commissioner and the employees of the tax office. The CJ summoned details of the incident and asked the lawyers to remain calm.
