In solidarity: Lawyers continue court boycott as CJ’s son still missing

Hundreds of the litigants suffered, as their cases could not be taken up in the courts

The lawyers in upper Sindh also showed solidarity and boycotted court proceedings on Thursday as a token of protest. Responding to the strike call by the Sindh Bar Council. PHOTO: ONLINE

KARACHI:
Lawyers boycotted once again all legal proceedings to protest the kidnapping of Barrister Ovais Ali Khan, the son of the Sindh High Court (SHC) Chief Justice Sajjad Ali Shah.

As the law enforcement agencies fail to make any progress in the investigations despite the passage of three weeks, lawyers boycotted hearings to add pressure on the government to recover him. Advocate Shah was kidnapped from Clifton on June 20 in broad daylight.

On Thursday, lawyers stayed away from legal proceedings at the SHC, City Courts, Malir District Courts and other special courts and tribunals in the city. They criticised government functionaries responsible for protecting the lives and properties of citizens.

Meanwhile, representatives of various lawyers’ bodies met at the Karachi Bar Association’s Office to discuss the law and order situation in Sindh and the arrest of Advocate Ibrahim Abro by the police.

The representatives of the Pakistan Bar Council, the Sindh Bar Council, the SHC Bar Association, Karachi Bar Association and Malir District Bar Association expressed their concerns over the failure of the government and law enforcement agencies to safely recover the son of the CJ despite the lapse of 24 days.

Meanwhile, hundreds of the litigants suffered, as their cases could not be taken up in the courts due to strike by the lawyers. On the other hand, the jail authorities did not shift under-trial prisoners to the courts following the strike.


Hyderabad

The Karachi lawyers were supported by their colleagues in Hyderabad who also stayed away from courts on Thursday. The boycott was observed in SHC’s Hyderabad circuit bench and all the district and sessions, civil and other courts in Hyderabad, Nawabshah and Mirpurkhas division. The call was given by the Sindh Bar Council.

Sukkur

The lawyers in upper Sindh also showed solidarity and boycotted court proceedings on Thursday as a token of protest. Responding to the strike call by the Sindh Bar Council, legal eagles in Sukkur, Khairpur, Ghotki, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Kashmore-Kandhkot, Larkana and other areas stayed away from courts.

With additional input from our correspondents in Hyderabad and Sukkur

Published in The Express Tribune, July 15th, 2016.

 
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