An anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad on Thursday sent all lawyers, arrested in connection with rioting at Islamabad High Court (IHC) premises and attempting to seize Chief Justice Block, on judicial remand, reported 24NewsHD TV channel.

Earlier, lawyers including Zafar Ali Warraich, Naveed Malik, Sheikh Shoaib and Nazia Bibi were produced in the court.

Meanwhile, police on Thursday arrested three more lawyers, including Islamabad Bar former president Malik Naveed, nominated in the FIR registered following rioting and vandalism at IHC premises on Monday.

However, Bar president and joint secretary could not be taken into custody as they put up resistance against the police.

Lawyers in Islamabad on Monday had forcibly shut down district courts as well as the Islamabad High Court (IHC) as they went berserk over bulldozing of their chambers built on footpaths and parking areas by the capital administration as part of anti-encroachment drive.

The protesting lawyers also barred the entry of litigants in the IHC premises besides bringing traffic on the adjacent Service Road to a halt.

The situation became so tense that Deputy Commissioner (DC) Islamabad Hamza Shafqaat had to reach Islamabad High Court to monitor the situation.

The lawyers also shouted slogans against IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah restricting the latter to his chamber.

Strangely, there was no presence of Special Security Police personnel at the time of lawyers’ entry in Chief Justice’s Block. In fact, the personnel arrived at the scene quite late, resulting in the exit of female staff from the Block due to heightened insecurity.

The protestors refused to talk to the administration until their chambers were rebuilt.