Legal fraternity on Thursday observed a complete strike in protest against the killing of three lawyers. They staged sit-ins demanding of the government to arrest the murderers. Sindh High Court Bar Association (SHCBA) held a condolence meeting in Iftikhar Hall at Sindh High Court. Chief Justice of Sindh High Court Mushir Alam was also present.
Addressing the meeting, the SHC CJ termed the allegations against the judiciary for failing to protect the common man "irresponsible", saying it was primarily the responsibility of the government to act. He said judiciary could not provide protection to every citizen at their doorsteps. He said judiciary only becomes active when other State institutions turn inactive.
Supreme Court Bar Association President Yaseen Azad set a three-day deadline for the government to arrest the killers of the lawyers or else the legal fraternity across the country would resort to agitation. He said if the government did not arrest the killers, lawyers would outline future line of action.
Criticising the LEAs, he said if these departments could not fulfil their responsibilities of maintaining peace in the society they should resign. He said in the democratic societies, the concerned minister gives resignation for failing to protect the citizens.
He said if the culprits of the first target killings had been arrested, the present poor law and order situation would not have surfaced in the city. He said lawlessness was on the rise as the ruling stratum was completely indifferent to the alarming situation. Azad demanded of the Supreme Court to provide special security to lawyers contesting sensitive cases in the country and facing life threats.
Vice President SHCBA, Ashiq Ali Anwar Rana said around six lawyers had fallen victim to target killings in the city only in January this year. He also refused to accept the government claims about bringing peace to the city and controlling the terrorism of target killings, saying the Karachi unrest had stemmed by the Supreme Court's suo motu action.
After the suo motu hearing by a larger bench of the Supreme Court, which Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry had headed, the Karachi unrest re-emerged to plague the city's peace. The meeting also adopted a unanimous resolution seeking the arrest of killers.
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