Murder in court lockup: Lawyers to strike today in protest at security lapse
‘Only judges’ vehicles and prison vans be allowed on court premises’.
LAHORE:
The Lahore Bar Association (LBA) will observe a strike on Monday (today) in protest at the lack of security at the courts after a prisoner gunned down another in lockup and was later shot dead by the police.
On Saturday, Azam shot and killed Shafqat Nazir in Barracks 3 of the judicial lockup and then began shooting randomly, causing panic among the other prisoners. Some 20 minutes later, a shootout with the police ensued in which Azam was eventually killed. It was unclear how Azam got the gun in the first instance.
The LBA is also to move a requisition in its house meeting on Monday calling for a ban on lawyers and senior policemen taking their vehicles inside the District and Sessions Court premises. “We will propose that only judges’ cars and prison vans be allowed to enter the premises,” said LBA General Secretary Asad Abbas Zaidi.
He said that LBA representatives had met with District and Sessions Judge Nazir Ahmed Gajana and urged him to arrange for the installation of CCTV cameras inside the judicial lock up or at the entrance to monitor the movement of visitors, prisoners and police officials.
He said that the district and sessions judge assured them that cameras would be installed inside and outside the lockup. He said that Monday’s strike would be a protest against police negligence.
On Sunday, Islampura police registered a case against Ahmed Raza, Muhammad Asif, Hassan, Ghulam Haider, Shaukat Ali, Barkat Ali, Aurangzeb and four unnamed persons on the complaint of Shafqat Nazir’s brother Haji Amjad Ali.
Ali claimed in his complaint that he was visiting his brother along with M Shehbaz, Amir Nazir and Muhammad Akram on Saturday, while the above-mentioned accused were visiting Azam. He said that Ahmed Raza pulled out two pistols and gave one of them to Azam, who used it to shoot and kill Shafqat Nazir. He said that Raza and his companions then fled. He said that Shehbaz, Nazir and Akram had witnessed the incident. The FIR was registered under Sections 302 (murder), 324 (attempted murder), 186 (obstructing a public servant), 353 (assaulting a public officer), 149 (rioting armed with a deadly weapon), 148 (collective responsibility), 109 (abetting), 120 (concealing a plan to commit a crime), 13/20/65 and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 2nd, 2012.
The Lahore Bar Association (LBA) will observe a strike on Monday (today) in protest at the lack of security at the courts after a prisoner gunned down another in lockup and was later shot dead by the police.
On Saturday, Azam shot and killed Shafqat Nazir in Barracks 3 of the judicial lockup and then began shooting randomly, causing panic among the other prisoners. Some 20 minutes later, a shootout with the police ensued in which Azam was eventually killed. It was unclear how Azam got the gun in the first instance.
The LBA is also to move a requisition in its house meeting on Monday calling for a ban on lawyers and senior policemen taking their vehicles inside the District and Sessions Court premises. “We will propose that only judges’ cars and prison vans be allowed to enter the premises,” said LBA General Secretary Asad Abbas Zaidi.
He said that LBA representatives had met with District and Sessions Judge Nazir Ahmed Gajana and urged him to arrange for the installation of CCTV cameras inside the judicial lock up or at the entrance to monitor the movement of visitors, prisoners and police officials.
He said that the district and sessions judge assured them that cameras would be installed inside and outside the lockup. He said that Monday’s strike would be a protest against police negligence.
On Sunday, Islampura police registered a case against Ahmed Raza, Muhammad Asif, Hassan, Ghulam Haider, Shaukat Ali, Barkat Ali, Aurangzeb and four unnamed persons on the complaint of Shafqat Nazir’s brother Haji Amjad Ali.
Ali claimed in his complaint that he was visiting his brother along with M Shehbaz, Amir Nazir and Muhammad Akram on Saturday, while the above-mentioned accused were visiting Azam. He said that Ahmed Raza pulled out two pistols and gave one of them to Azam, who used it to shoot and kill Shafqat Nazir. He said that Raza and his companions then fled. He said that Shehbaz, Nazir and Akram had witnessed the incident. The FIR was registered under Sections 302 (murder), 324 (attempted murder), 186 (obstructing a public servant), 353 (assaulting a public officer), 149 (rioting armed with a deadly weapon), 148 (collective responsibility), 109 (abetting), 120 (concealing a plan to commit a crime), 13/20/65 and Section 7 of the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 2nd, 2012.