In solidarity: Lawyers protest colleague’s murder, stay away from courts

KARACHI: The Karachi Bar Association (KBA) stayed away from pleading their cases in courts on Friday to protest the killing of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) lawyers’ forum vice-president, Syed Waqarul Hassan Shah, who was shot dead on Rashid Minhas Road a day earlier.

On Thursday, the association had announced that the legal fraternity would not attend courts on Friday and stage a sit-in on MA Jinnah Road, where the bar associations would hold a condolence reference.

At the condolence reference on Friday, the lawyers expressed solidarity with the family of the bereaved. They paid tribute to Shah and demanded swift justice for the innocent people who had fallen prey to targeted killings in the restive city. No legal proceedings took place at the city courts, Malir district courts and the anti-terrorism court.

During the general body meeting held at MA Jinnah Road, the KBA demanded the government to investigate the matter and give exemplary punishment to the perpetrators. The meeting was attended by lawyers and court officials.

The KBA will hold a reference at its offices on Saturday.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 12^th, 2014.