Quetta attack aftermath: Rangers take control of courts’ security

Lawyers boycott courts on third day

KARACHI: Paramilitary soldiers were deployed in courts across the city on Wednesday after the Rangers director-general Major-General Bilal Akbar assured the lawyers fraternity of providing security in the wake of the Quetta attack.

Rangers personnel were seen maintaining security along with the police at city courts. Strict measures were observed and the lawyers, litigants and other visitors were asked to go through a security check before entering the premises.

There are five entry and exits points at the city courts complex, which were earlier guarded by the police only. The Rangers deployment has added to the manpower, which will help in keeping an eye on the movement of thousands of people visiting the city courts daily, said sub-inspector (SI) Khalid Khan, who has been tasked with security of inmates brought from jail.

The road leading to Karachi Bar Association from Light House entrance has been closed for vehicles as a security measure, SI Khan said, adding that only one entrance of the parking area will be used by vehicles.

Lawyers continue strike

Meanwhile, the lawyers continued their strike on the third day to protest the Quetta blast of August 8.

At the city courts, the attendance of inmates remained zero as jail authorities did not send any of them for hearing of their cases due to the strike. A similar situation was seen at the Malir Courts and other subordinate courts. Even the Sindh High Court (SHC) did not function normally because all boards at the appellate judiciary were discharged in the morning.

A delegation of SHCBA Hyderabad and District Bar Association Hyderabad met a Rangers official and requested for their deployment at SHC, sessions and civil court building.

According to SHCBA president Ayaz Tunio the Rangers have agreed to secure the courts from Thursday.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 11^th, 2016.