Fighting blasphemy cases: Lawyers feel threatened, demand security

Speakers say Multan CPO violated CJ’s orders and should be held accountable

MULTAN: The legal fraternity and social activists held a protest against withdrawing the security of lawyers who are defending blasphemy cases and are at high security risk. The protest was held at Peer Khursheed Colony on Sunday.

The protesters were carrying posters and placards on which their demands were inscribed.

While addressing the crowd, Advocate Shahbaz Gurmani said the security of lawyers was taken back in clear violation of Chief Justice Saqib Nisar’s orders.



He said that Multan CPO and Punjab IG were reluctant to follow the orders of the CJ. “I am the counsel of different people accused of blasphemy and they are on the hit list of a banned militant outfit. I also survived two attempts on my life,” Gurmani maintained.

Advocate Fahim Gill said that the lawyers were dealing with more than 10 cases of blasphemy.  He added the chief justice ordered the provision of security to lawyers who were facing death threats from various banned militant outfits. “It is the duty of the state to protect the lives of people facing constant danger.”



Similarly, Advocate Ruth Bashir said that the Multan CPO had taken back all security from lawyers, terming it “irrelevant and unnecessary”. He added the move was in violation of the chief justice’s orders.

Social activist Farah Riaz Gurmani said the Multan CPO violated the orders of the chief justice and he should be held accountable for his actions. She added only the police and other law enforcement agencies could provide security to judges and lawyers as their lives were at stake. “Although there are clear orders from the chief justice to give security to those people facing threats, it is not being provided,” she pointed out.

Civil society members Syeda Arooj Rizvi, Abdul Mutlib Farrukh, Jawad Amin Qureshi, also spoke.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 23^rd, 2018.