Pakistan

Lawyers denounce bin Laden killing

Lawyers in Abbottabad and Peshawar denounce bin Laden killing, say prayers for their "hero".

Afp May 04, 2011

ABBOTTABAD: Groups of lawyers on Wednesday held protests over the US killing of al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, denouncing America and saying prayers for their "hero".

About 70 lawyers staged a rally in Abbottabad, condemning the US operation in their city, witnesses said.

They shouted "Go, America go," "Osama bin Laden is our hero" and chanted slogans against the US-allied and Pakistani government.

"We condemn terrorism but cannot accept any violation of our sovereignty," said Tahir Faraz Abbasi, president of the local bar association.

In Peshawar, where bin Laden once lived during the fight to evict Soviet troops from nearby Afghanistan, about 200 lawyers offered special prayers for the al Qaeda supremo at the courts.

"Osama was a Muslim hero. He had been waging jihad (holy war) for Muslims across the world," said prominent local lawyer Ghulam Nabi.

"I doubt Osama was in Abbottabad. Even if he were, he was our hero and he will remain our hero," he said.

Conspiracy theories, fanned by deep distrust of the United States, have raced like wildfire through Pakistani communities over bin Laden's killing.

COMMENTS (72)

Nobody | 13 years ago | Reply I'm disgusted by the support murderers can get in Pakistan. OBL and the like do NOTHING for anyone; they spread a hateful ideology inciting violence against anyone who thinks differently and promote intolerance and label it "jihad." Simply disgusting. The US isn't at war with Islam, people with this extremist ideology are. The progressive minded population in Pakistan desperately needs to stand up against this as they're the only hope I see left there right now.

R S JOHAR | 13 years ago | Reply The support shown by Pak lawyers for first Qadri a killer and now world's most wanted terrorist responsible for 3000 deaths is really alarming which needs to be stopped otherwise it will lead to radiclanisation of the whole state. Chief Justice and Pak leaders should step in at the earliest and issue a condemnation statement against the lawyers.

VIEW MORE COMMENTS

Syed Rizvi | 13 years ago | Reply I am not surprised. Pakistani lawyers don't go by the man made law; they go by the law of sharia (law given to us by God), barbaric as it my appear to the eyes' world.

muhammed | 13 years ago | Reply i live in abbottabad almost 3km away from osama's compound, i am overwhelmed by this news,like everybody else so it does not matter if few have sympathies for this terrorist!!!!!

Hedgefunder | 13 years ago | Reply These are not Lawyers ! They were, now they are simply poorly paid attention seeking bunch with little bit of Judicial Knowledge!! That's all !!

Yousaf | 13 years ago | Reply These are the people responsible for the collapse of Pakistani economy.... and now have become and ugly face of society...as a Mafia.

Shahryar Ahmed | 13 years ago | Reply @xyz: Dude, He was no saint. He did harm the name of Islam like no other in the history of the world. Please make one thing clear, he never did this all for Islam, this struggle was only for politics & power in his homeland. As for the lawyers, thanks to these Pakistan is in this state today. They lawyers movement & all.

gg of oz | 13 years ago | Reply The disgusting lawyers are wingeing because they will miss out on money, to defend the mass murderer Osama bin Laden.

intelektual | 13 years ago | Reply These most certainly do not represent Pakistan not even the professional educated Lawyers. They are cheap sell-outs participating in a attention grabbing stunt for their political motives, they would suport Satan himself if he were wearing a long enough beared and was half as populer as OBL right now. Let me be a representation of the paki mindset ! We do not support OBL ALqaeda and are hatred is equaly great for their counterparts in Shiv Sinha or the Zionists monopolising US.

Andy | 13 years ago | Reply What a country. What a joke. What a mess. Hopeless situation. This country is a disaster ... should never have come into existence to be honest. Would have been better off as one big India.. at least we would have had an unbeatable cricket team and the menace of terrorism would probably have never exploded into what it is now. Sad time to be a Pakistani. Shame on this country - I have never been more embarassed in my life to say I'm from Pakistan.

isfandyar | 13 years ago | Reply Dear lawyers n those that think he is hero! How is killing innocent people a hero! Osama was against all Islam is for!

wahab | 13 years ago | Reply Being a lawyer in Pak is not like being a lawyer in USA, its easy to get in and so many insane idiots do..a few of whom are above.. No good supreme court lawyer will participate, thwy are low class 3rd grade lawyers

AnIndian | 13 years ago | Reply Does the United Nations still recognize Pakistan as a COUNTRY??? hmmm...

Faraz | 13 years ago | Reply arrest these people for treason against their country.

Positive Pakistani (from Karachi) | 13 years ago | Reply “We condemn terrorism but cannot accept any violation of our sovereignty,” said Tahir Faraz Abbasi, president of the local bar association... You don't want your sovereignty being challenged??? Okay!! Fair enough!!....but how the hell does this make Osama your hero.....??? ....do you guys actually have some brain left....is there any logic behind this..:S.. WTF....

Hedgefunder | 13 years ago | Reply @Don: Sadly the Middle Class and the Liberals have decided to get out of the country as fast as they can, because they can see where its all heading!!!!!

Parvez+Mahmud | 13 years ago | Reply To be civil is to be informed: http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,760358,00.html

prashanth | 13 years ago | Reply @blacksheep: Now, who is being an extremist? Strengthen your institutions. Unfortunately it is a long drawn tedious process. Should have patience and work hard to set the society right. There are no short-cuts to a just and democratic society.

Samiullah | 13 years ago | Reply So much for the belief "Education will remove extremism".

Don | 13 years ago | Reply I just wonder what could be in the minds of those educated, civilized, peace loving Pakistani middle class people at a time when their country is singularly isolated by the world. I look up to the middle class specifically because I believe only they have the potential to be the game changers. The Pakistani elite has the resources and contacts to find their way and the fundamentalists would not in any case change their stand. A mass awakening of its middle class can only change the world's perception of Pakistan and take to real progress. I dream of waking up to a stable, democratic, peaceful Pakistan one day....

khan | 13 years ago | Reply as if osama's being found and killed in Pakistan was not shameful enough, now these idiots are providing the Western media excuse to paint all Pakistanis as terrorists. and why does ET give space to these morons?

Cherish Raj | 13 years ago | Reply @ANR: I know that you are totally ignorant about history. Bhagat Singh was fighting against British imperialism. He was not a mass murderer. He did not kill 3000 civilians and hide somewhere like a coward. He was not enjoying his life in a posh mansion with a conveyor belt of young women and dreaming about 72 new ones while sending his followers to be cannon fodders for the NATO forces. He threw a grenade into an assembly (nobody was killed) and shot a police chief. Ironically, Jinnah, who himself was present inside the assembly building had expressed his sympathy for the revolutionaries. But todays Pakistan is a society that cannot differentiate a religious zealot and killer from a true revolutionary.

PriyaSuraj | 13 years ago | Reply @ ANR - So what you are suggesting is that Osama Bin Laden was a freedom fighter like Bhagat Singh was. Whose freedom was Osama fighting for? I cannot recall any muslim country which is currently occupied by America. Yes I agree America is a bully. But then if you think America bullies only muslims, thats where you are wrong. This is a unipolar world, America bullies period. If you are saying that both Bhagat Singh and Osama used violence as a means to their ends, Bhagat Singh did not kill any innocent man, woman or child. Well he did commit a murder but it was of a representative of the British against whom Indians were fighting for independence. He did not harm any Indian. Osama on the other hand killed many innocent people including muslims. Bhagat Singh is an inspiration and so is Osama but the difference lies in the kind of inspiration. I honestly don't know about anyone who killed someone else because they were inspired by Bhagat Singh. I cannot say the same about Osama. I am unable to see how you have managed to equate the two. Pls explain.

A | 13 years ago | Reply WHATS WRONG WITH THIS COUNTRY???? He's a hero? Theyve got to be kidding me!!

Khurdra | 13 years ago | Reply @Hedgefunder: so you are a part of anti pak think tank and now you reveal you are a lawyer too... hmmmm....that is why we see you poking nose in pakistani newspapers with so much aggression.....

Hedgefunder | 13 years ago | Reply @Jahanzaib Haque: Well everything i have written in last two days, does not qualify for it to be stopped from publishing!!! Then how come it has????

Fareedi | 13 years ago | Reply Maybe these lawyers didn't get their families blown to bits before their enthusiastic activity.... Is there no sanity in the land of the pure? And these are the "educated" law abiding lawyers!

Feroze | 13 years ago | Reply These moments make one feel ashamed to say your a Pakistani. How on earth can those who have taken an oath to up hold the law, make a person who has terrorised the world and killed more Muslims then any one else a "hero". People like this shot be jailed for life. A minority of a few hundred make the majority of millions so ashamed.

PriyaSuraj | 13 years ago | Reply @ xyz - Yes, you are right there, I don't understand. Why don't you try to explain what Osama contributed to? And if you think being a hindu I will not understand, I would still request you to think about it and share it on the forum. I will make an honest attempt at understanding.

joy | 13 years ago | Reply spare a thought for these poor lawyers....... had Mr Osama been caught alive..some of them might have laughed all the way to the bank defending the Al Qaeda supremo' My sympathies are with them :)

ANR | 13 years ago | Reply @SD: Do you remember the Indian top terrorist Bagath Sing........try try

ANR | 13 years ago | Reply @PriyaSuraj: Why you prayed for Bagath Sing.......that's why

anon | 13 years ago | Reply stupid hooklas, ruined the country (remember, they were Zardaris biggest supporters) and now dance on its grave.

Jahanzaib Haque | 13 years ago Please take a moment to read our comment moderation policy. Regards (Web Editor) COMMENTS WE DELETE Abusive, off-topic . Misleading argument in obvious, agenda-driven purpose Ad hominem attacks Contain majority of, or complete text of an article Include direct quotes from religious texts Comments in all CAPS or in any language aside from English (minglish allowed) Spamming/Cross-posting identical comment across multiple posts Contain racist, sexist, homophobic and other slurs Solicitations and/or advertising for personal blogs and sites Posted with explicit intent to provoke other commenters, writers or staff Contains content that may infringe on copyright of others

Hedgefunder | 13 years ago | Reply Here we go again!! The Legal Honour Brigade, is out in force!! I am Ashamed to be associated to the profession, thankfully i am in UK and we do not act in the manner this lot do!!!! They are disgrace to their Profession, They can not even protect innocent and vunerable People of Pakistan, and they are making show of themselves!! Very Cheap!!!!

NonPakistani | 13 years ago | Reply @Pragmatist: Yes, I agree. What a country!

SouthEastAsian | 13 years ago | Reply I am afraid the image of pakistan has become very negative in this part of the world (singapore). Truly sad. Even if educated pakistanis (lawyers) are supporting osama, i can imagine, where would be the loyalty of the rest of the people. :(.

Democratic Hypocracy. | 13 years ago | Reply The majority of the world without a fair trial has decided Usama as a terrorist! Even Moderator at Tribune has decided it too.

sash | 13 years ago | Reply http://yvonneridley.org/2011/obama-snatches-defeat-from-jaws-of-victory

Anwar | 13 years ago | Reply To be frank situation in Pakistan is going from Bad to worse. We have to be sensible in reacting to world events. Lets be clear Osama is KILLED in that compound.There is ample proof. Besides DNA testing, and facial recognition its very clear a 6.4" can not be missed. His own daughter has come out explaining the incident. Jihadis all over are mourning, No jihadi nor our Govt or military or ISI has contradicted USA's statement. There coudl be inconsistencies in their explanation but fact of his death can not be denied. There is no point going against the tide.

Adil | 13 years ago | Reply what about mass murderer busy in, Palestine, Kashmir, Afghanistan, Iraq and etc? Shame on Them n ther supporters too??? This was just to answer your objection over mass murderer. Recommended....

hamad | 13 years ago | Reply Lawyers in Pakistan are alwys flow against the river flow. Oh my God why they like what other hate strongly. I feel they do to get media attention. Oh cheap way to get it. I am asahmed for there prayers to Osama!!!

Sher | 13 years ago | Reply why does ET give coverage to morons like these? They were just 100. There are thousands that support the eradication of a terrorist! That should make news, not this!

Tariq | 13 years ago | Reply Lawyers, I doubt it they are liars more likely, just want to be in the news or TV

Nurmomad | 13 years ago | Reply Why does ET not report the millions who have appreciated the murder of OBL? Why are 100 Jamat-e-Islami lawyers newsworthy?

Anoop | 13 years ago | Reply A bunch of Pakistanis supporting a mass murderer. I've heard this story before.

xoxo | 13 years ago | Reply What the hell is just wrong with them now. the are tagging him our hero have they just forgot those innocent people who have been killed across the country on the hand of thees so called Jahadi tanzeemz, I think any one who called osma the hero is surely the killer of the innocent people who have been killed across the country .

xyz | 13 years ago | Reply @PriyaSuraj: Brother, Something which you see as a Hindu success, we muslim do not see as a success, and vice versa. So u can not even imagine what that guy did in favor or disfavour of Islam. So better keep quite.

SD | 13 years ago | Reply This is what happens when entire generation is brainwahed in school by Jihadi text books. Lies are sold as truth. And look who believe in it.

blacksheep | 13 years ago | Reply we should arrest all these monkeys and throw them in jail...This is exactly why Pakistan is in such a big mess...we need to clean house and kill or jail all extremists or supporting elements in our country. Moreover, change the Constitution and stop branding people KAfir etc..

Ron(Indian) | 13 years ago | Reply Are you sure these are lawyers just because of black coats? Check them out they must be jehadis.

Saad | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistan is a land of hero's; "everyone is a hero here" -- another example of anti-US sentiment in Pakistan. http://twitter.com/saadbinshahid

rifaye (india ) | 13 years ago | Reply being an indian muslim, i see a sorry state of affair in pakistan. i recenty return from a trip to dubai. middle east is long been known for extremist view....and after i visit abu dhabi , dubai, i see how much they have progressed, and after talking to so many gulf citizens ranging from syrian, lebanese, palestinians, jordanians,..all they want in life is peace, freedom and democracy. pakistan despite being part of british coloney for very long ago, having tasted democracy, rule of law, educational system via british, and should have grown from where british left, but rather they chose to go back to stone age period. if thats whats make pakistanis happy, so be it. but please dont disturb rest of the world with your extremist view. we are happy to follow their respective religion peacefully, and will learn to live like good citizens of the world.but i am sure, all those moderate well educated liberal pakistanis will run away from pakistan and find a better life,which will further harm your economy. as you will be short of intellcutals.. from what i see, extremism have gone deep into your society, and system, through your institution, education system, medias, isi/army, politics...it will take so long time for pakistan to bring their people back to moderate thinking..untill then, tough times are awaiting you in days to come..:(((

AF | 13 years ago | Reply They are only few bunch of moronic lawyers. many lawyers are and were anti-ladin and are happy that he is dead by hook or by crook.

Muhammad Junaid Akhter | 13 years ago | Reply @Cautious: what about mass murderer busy in, Palestine, Kashmir, Afghanistan, Iraq and etc? Shame on Them n ther supporters too??? This was just to answer your objection over mass murderer. The other view is right that these people are stupid enough trying to prove the US drama the Reality.

Khawaja Faraz | 13 years ago | Reply @cautious do you want to stop crime with a crime?

Ali | 13 years ago | Reply Media should seriously not highlight such stances, particularly if they are coming from a so called educated community. Pathetic. Is there any freedom of choice left? Live and let live! This country is going to the dogs. Of all the people its lawyers!

Asad Shairani | 13 years ago | Reply Wth! We're only giving more reasons for the world to be convinced we're a nation of terrorists!

Nation Prevails | 13 years ago | Reply @Cautious: Please also say something about american, Indian govt and also israeli govt all three have committed genocide u people are so biased and are evil maniacs.

saif M | 13 years ago | Reply Quote from the news report: “I doubt Osama was in Abbottabad" If he was not in Abbottabad then whose funeral (janaza) are they staging and for whom are praying?

Dajjal | 13 years ago | Reply The Pakistani Lawyers are a confused bunch of nitwits. The celebrate the extrajudicial killing of Salman Taseer but protest when the US does it. Maybe its their affinity with like minded morons (Osama Bin Laden & Mumtaz Qadri).

shaan | 13 years ago | Reply LOL... where is this country going????

ashok sai | 13 years ago | Reply Inshallah, there are some sane voice left in Pakistan to speak in favour of terrorism, with these warriors Pakistan may RIP.

vasan | 13 years ago | Reply This bunch must be the supporters of Quadri . Bigots in black coats

TightDhoti | 13 years ago | Reply Just shows that passing exams doesnt make one educated.

pl/sql | 13 years ago | Reply Pakistani lawyers seem more extreme than regular terrorists because they are always on the side of the murderers. Remember they supported the killer of a politician recently? They threw rose petals at him.

A Suhail | 13 years ago | Reply These lawyers are getting lawless with the passage of time. Tomorrow these lawyers will ask the supreme court to take suo motu notice of this act. These people supply more ammo to international new organizations to bash Pakistan.

Cautious | 13 years ago | Reply Say something about Pakistan when people who have taken oaths to defend the law view a mass murderer as a "hero". Shame on you.

Arslan | 13 years ago | Reply LOL just wait, and you'll see that al-Qaida will freely offer you a visa to Ben Laden by making you 'shaheed'

PriyaSuraj | 13 years ago | Reply I feel sorry for Pakistanis and muslims in general. Why are you mourning Osama? Agree Osama challenged the US as no other has in recent history. But he did nothing for his fellow muslims. Did he build schools or hospitals? He gave muslims an ideology which has made life for muslims unbearable across the globe. He taught hate. He killed innocents. He was not the change catalyst for the revolutions in Egypt, Tunisia and others. I feel sorry the muslim world has no better role models. If this is how the educated Pakistanis will react, I have no hope for the uneducated.

faraz | 13 years ago | Reply Such lawyers showered rose petals on the fanatic who killed the Governor. They belong the Zia's lost generation, they are simply hopless. After decades of jihadi propaganda, they have lost the ability to think in a rational way. Its typical of a pakistani in his 40s who grew under Zia regime

Pragmatist | 13 years ago | Reply In every nation in the world, lawyers are on the side of the law. But in Pakistan, lawyers are the first to come out against the law. We saw that in the murder of Taseer. The lawyers were garlanding the killer and now this ! What a country !!

Replying to X