Lawyers' killings: Legal fraternity observes nationwide strike

Lawyers observe strike in Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan, express concern over government failure to stop attacks.

KARACHI: Lawyers across Pakistan have boycotted court proceedings for a day in order to protest the killings of three lawyers in Karachi, Express News reported on Thursday.

The lawyers - including Badar Munir Jaffery, his son Kafeel Jaffery and nephew Shakeel Jaffery - were killed on Wednesday when unidentified men on motorcycles intercepted their car near Pakistan Chowk and opened fire.

On the call of Karachi Bar Association, Sindh Bar Association and Malir Bar Association, a strike is underway throughout Sindh. Following this boycott, the staff has also closed the courts.

A partial strike is underway at courts in Lahore, while proceedings in Jhelum, Chakwal, Attock, Abbottabad, Rawalpindi and Islamabad have also been boycotted.

Calling for a protest strike, the Faisalabad district court has called off proceedings for today, while all Bars of Multan and Southern Punjab have also been closed down.

On an appeal of the Balochistan Bar Association, lawyers have refused to show up at the Balochistan High Court and all courts under it.

The office bearers and representatives of Bar organisations have expressed their concern over the failure of the government and administrative machinery to stop these kind of attacks against members of the legal fraternity.

The Chief Justice of Sindh High Court, Justice Musheer Alam, on Wednesday took a suo motu notice on the killing of the lawyers and summoned the Sindh police chief and other officials on Thursday, asking them to submit a report on the incidents of targeted killings of the members of the Bar.