Lawyers block The Mall to protest colleague's conviction.

LAHORE -- The traffic police put diversions on The Mall on Tuesday as lawyers staged a sit-in outside the judges' entrance gate of the Lahore High Court (LHC) against the conviction of a member of the Punjab Bar Council (PbBC) on a contempt charge.

They gathered outside the judges' gate in large numbers, chanting slogans and demanding withdrawal of the conviction handed down to Advocate Rana Muhammad Asif.

The judges had to use another gate to leave the premises.

Food and chairs were arranged for the protesting lawyers, in addition to a big canopy tent installed on the road to protect them from the cold weather.

Pakistan Bar Council member Shafqat Mahmood Chohan and Lahore Bar Association President Rao Sami were among other leaders of the bar present at the sit-in till late at night.

The lawyers announced that they would continue their sit-in until their demands were met.

A heavy contingent...