Lawyers demand FIR of Wazirabad attack

The lawyers in Islamabad on Friday demanded of the government to registers cases pertaining to the attack on Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan in Wazirabad, murder of Arshad Sharif, one of the country’s prominent journalists, and torture on former minister Azam Swati.

“First information reports should be registered against the attack on PTI chief Imran in Wazirabad, torture on Swati, and murder of Arshad Sharif,” a joint resolution passed during the ‘Rule of Law Conference’ stated.

The conference was organised by the Islamabad High Court Bar Association and the Islamabad District Bar Association in which a large number of lawyers participated.

The joint resolution further sought imposing the principle of seniority in the appointment of judges in the Supreme Court.

A resolution regarding torture and violence against political leaders as well as journalists was unanimously approved.

The resolution sought ensuring rule of law in the country in order to provide basic rights to the people. “No person or institution is above the law. Only the process of impartial accountability can take the country in the right direction,” the resolution stated.

The joint resolution further stated that the worst violations of human rights in the recent past should stop now as “no one is above the law and everyone should be treated equally”.

“There should be no misuse of powers by the executive or any authority created under the Constitution.”

The resolution sought that action be taken against the abusers of power as well as those involved in human rights violations. “All political forces must work for civilian supremacy and economic stability.”

In the favour of journalists, the lawyers demanded in the resolution that freedom of expression should not be restricted under any circumstances as it was the basis of democracy. “Equal rights should be ensured to the people by ending the elite's control over the country.”

Civilian anarchy paves the way for political instability, while political stability brings with it economic stability, it added. “Freedom of expression is the basis of democracy and should not be allowed to be restricted under any circumstances,” it reiterated.

In the resolution, the lawyers also demanded that the role of the Supreme Judicial Council be made stronger and more stable so that the process of justice delivery could run more quickly.

The lawyers marched from a local hotel to the Supreme Court carrying placards inscribed with the slogan of “Rule of Law”.