Lawyers allegedly roughed up Khalil Malik, a television presenter and media adviser to some private organisations, on Wednesday for making derogatory remarks about the judiciary and the chief justice of Pakistan. According to witnesses, Malik was manhandled by several male and female lawyers when he arrived at the district courts for the hearing of a case filed against him by the District Bar Association (DBA) for his alleged anti-judiciary remarks. DBA President Khalid Ismail Abassi and other bar officials were able to pacify the angry crowd after Malik tendered an unconditional apology, both verbally and in writing. He also apologised before the court, after which DBA lawyers withdrew their cases against him. The lawyers had accused Malik of publishing and telecasting objectionable and insulting remarks about the judiciary and the CJP during the lawyers’ movement for judicial independence and the reinstatement of the CJP. Abbassi told SANA that the lawyers were very angry about Malik’s remarks and that was why they pursued cases against him. He said although some people had “misbehaved” with Malik before his arrival, no member of the bar association or lawyer was involved.