Ali Muhammad Dahiri: Bar associations condemn murder

LAHORE: The Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and the Punjab Bar Council (PbBC) on Friday condemned the murder of Sindh Bar Council member Ali Muhammad Dahiri in Nawabshah, regretting that the government had failed to protect the lives and property of citizens.

SCBA president Asma Jahangir and secretary Qamar Zaman Qureshi in a joint statement expressed shock at the murder of Advocate Dahiri.

They said the murder appeared to be a case of ‘target killing’.

They deplored the fast deteriorating law and order situation in the country and called upon federal and provincial governments to address the problem as a priority as the lives and dignity of people were not safe.

They pointed out that lawyers were being kidnapped for ransom and murdered without perpetrators ever being brought to justice.

The PbBC vice chairman Lehrasib Gondal also announced a complete boycott of courts on Saturday in the province.

Gondal  said the government had miserably failed to protect lawyers and journalists in particular and the masses in general.

He demanded immediate arrest of the killers of Dahiri.

He also expressed concern over recommendations by the Judicial Commission which lacked any names from amongst Lahore lawyers.

Replying to a query, he said the lawyers were not satisfied with the government.

If drone attacks were stopped, he said, the country might regain peace.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 30^th, 2011.