Lawyers observe strike over murder

Bar leader Latif Afridi was shot dead on court premises in Peshawar

LAHORE:

The legal fraternity observed a complete strike in city courts over the murder of former president of Supreme Court Bar Association Abdul Latif Afridi, demanding that the government provide security to lawyers for avoiding such incidents.

Former Supreme Court Bar Association president and senior lawyer Latif Afridi was killed in a firing incident that occurred in the bar room of Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Monday.

The bar representatives expressed their grave concern over lack of appropriate measures to stop such incidents.

They urged the authorities to take concrete steps to ensure security of the lawyers to avoid such incidents.

The legal community observed strike on the call of Punjab Bar Council, Lahore High Court Bar Association and Lahore Bar Association.

The lawyers did not appear before the courts to attend hearing of their cases.

After the incident, Advocate Latif was shifted to the Peshawar Lady Reading Hospital immediately where he succumbed to his injuries during treatment.

The police said Afridi was sitting with other lawyers in the PHC bar room when a gunman opened fire at him.

However, the police have arrested the accused and identified him as Adnan. A weapon, an identity card and other items have been recovered from the attacker, the police confirmed.

On the other hand, the Peshawar High Court Bar Association termed the incident a security lapse and raised a question that how a man with a weapon managed to reach inside the bar room.

PHC bar room is located inside the premises of the high court. Tight security is deployed there and people are only allowed to enter upon showing their identity cards, the lawyers remarked.

Former SCBA president Ahsan Bhoon expressed gloom over the murder of the senior lawyer and said Latif Afridi had always raised his voice for the rights of the people.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, LHCBA president Sardar Akbar Ali Dogar and vice president Sohail Shafiq Chaudhry condemned the incident.

They were of the view that lawyers were not even safe inside the courts and bar rooms. They also asked the government to ensure protection for the lives of lawyers.

Lahore Bar Association’s (LBA) newly elected president Rana Intezar Hussain said terrorism had gripped the country again and lawyers were being frequently targeted.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2023.