Staying away: Lawyers boycott court after advocate attacked

Faisal Mughal was wounded and his brother killed in an attack on Tuesday.

HYDERABAD/ KARACHI:

The legal fraternity boycotted legal proceedings in Karachi and Hyderabad on Wednesday to protest the attack on their colleague in Hyderabad.

The Sindh Bar Council announced a province-wide strike to condemn the armed attack on Advocate Faisal Mughal at his residence in Journalist Colony on Tuesday that had also resulted in the killing of his brother Abdul Hadi Mughal, a second lieutenant in the army. Another brother, Advocate Hasnain Mughal, also sustained gunshot wounds.



Sindh High Court (SHC) Chief Justice Maqbool Baqar had suspended legal proceedings on the request of members of the SHC Bar Association. As a result, hundreds of cases scheduled for the day at the SHC in Karachi were adjourned, with only urgent matters being entertained. Lawyers also boycotted legal work at the Karachi City Courts and the Malir District Courts, leading to the adjournment of cases. Litigants faced great inconvenience, while under-trial prisoners had to be taken back to the barracks without being produced in court. In Hyderabad, lawyers boycotted proceedings at the SHC Hyderabad bench and all subordinate courts.

According to SHO Zafar Wako, the attack appears to have stemmed from personal enmity, as the lawyer and his father were involved in litigation concerning the transaction of a sum of money. However, the police have not yet ruled out other causes, as investigations are still underway. Three unidentified suspects have been arrested.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 16^th, 2014.