Nine years on: Legal fraternity observes black day, boycotts courts

Lawyers demand judicial inquiry into May 12 carnage

KARACHI/SUKKUR: Marking the ninth anniversary of May 12, 2007, carnage in Karachi with a boycott of legal proceedings, the lawyers demanded on Thursday the federal government investigate the incident through a judicial commission.

The legal fraternity called for punishing the perpetrators of the massacre to dispense 'justice' to the victims. They also boycotted legal proceedings at the Sindh High Court (SHC), City Courts, Malir district courts and the special tribunals across the city.

Members of the SHC Bar Association asked SHC chief justice Sajjad Ali Shah to suspend judicial work as part of their protest. Considering their request, Shah suspended judicial work, however, the judges sat in their chambers to hear urgent cases.

A general body meeting was also held at the SHC Bar Association office. Condemning the May 12 incident, the members accused law enforcement agencies for failing to track down the culprits who were behind the killings of the lawyers, political workers and civil society members. Addressing a separate press conference, Sindh Bar Council vice-chairperson Barrister Salahuddin Ahmed said that a formal request will be made to the federal government and the Supreme Court for judicial inquiry.



Ahmed said that the commission should also investigate the role of the police and Rangers, because they played the role of silent spectators when the terrorists were killing people. He also demanded that the then political leaders and their allies in the government should also be investigated.

Meanwhile, during a separate general body meeting, the Karachi Bar Association representatives declared May 12 as a black day in the country's history. They claimed that the city was shut down on the night of May 11 nine years ago, in order to attack the judiciary. The representatives said that more than 50 citizens were killed but justice has yet to be served.

Meanwhile, hundreds of cases fixed on the day at the high court, the district courts and the tribunals were adjourned. A large number of the litigants and the under trial prisoners faced difficulties due to the boycott of the lawyers.

Boycott across upper Sindh

The legal fraternity throughout Upper Sindh also boycotted courts on Thursday to observe black day to condemn the May 12 carnage. Black flags were hoisted on buildings of bar association and the lawyers wore black arm bands to express their resentment over the issue, which still remains unresolved. In Sukkur, the lawyers boycotted the high court and lower courts in response to the call of observing black day by Sindh Bar Council.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 13^th, 2016.