Lawyers protest Karachi killings across country
27 January, 2012
KARACHI: Lawyers on Thursday observed a strike in various cities of the country to protest Wednesday's murder of three lawyers in Karachi. The Sindh High Court (SHC) and its subordinate courts remained closed to protest the target killing of three lawyers. All courts in the province, including in Sukkur, Larkana and Hyderabad, remained closed on the call of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the Sindh Bar Council (SBC). Thousands of lawyers of the Karachi Bar Association (KBA) took out a protest rally from city courts and staged a sit-in on MA Jinnah Road for two hours. Addressing the lawyers, KBA President Mehmoodul Hassan and the SBC vice chairman jointly announced a three-day strike. Hassan said that the government had failed to protect lawyers, adding that if the government could not protect its citizens, including lawyers, it should give in its rule and go home. The legal fraternity in Lahore also boycotted court proceedings to protest the killing of the lawyers in Karachi. In Lahore High Court, judges took up only urgent cases and deferred the rest on demand of the bar office-bearers. Lahore High Court Bar Association President Asghar Ali Gill condemned the killings and demanded the federal and Sindh governments arrest the culprits within 72 hours and award them exemplary punishment. He also demanded the government provide security to the lawyers. Lawyers across Balochistan boycotted court proceedings to protest the lawyers' killings in Karachi. The strike call was given by the Balochistan High Court and the Balochistan Bar Association (BBA) as a result of which courts wore a deserted look in Quetta. Hearings were adjourned until next date. In a statement, BBA President Dawood Kasi and senior lawyer Baz Muhammad Kakar condemned the killings of lawyers in Karachi and demanded government ensure arrest of the culprits involved in the incident. A strike was also observed in Mastung, Pishin, Chaman, Loralai, Panjgur, Sibi, Nushki, Nasirabad, Kharan, Kalat, Khuzdar and other areas of Balochistan against the killing. The lawyers' fraternity also observed a strike and boycotted court proceedings in the six districts of Hazara Division, including Abbottabad, to protest the killing of three lawyers in Karachi. Talking to reporters, District Bar Association President Tahir Faraz Abbasi termed the killing of the three lawyers terrorism. It may be mentioned that Badar Munir Jaffery, his son Kafeel Jaffery and nephew Shakeel Jaffery were shot dead in Karachi on Wednesday. End.
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