Demanding security: Lawyers march to Jinnah Courts to protest colleague’s killing

Legal fraternity seems to have lost faith in civil govt and has asked Rangers for security

KARACHI: Disappointed with the provincial government's performance with regards to the provision of security for members of the legal fraternity, lawyers rallied on Saturday towards the Sindh Rangers Headquarters Office to demand protection and arrest of the killers of their colleague, Syed Amir Haider Shah.

Dozens of lawyers participated in the rally that marched from the City Courts on MA Jinnah Road to the paramilitary force's headquarters, where they staged a demonstration. Members of the Sindh High Court Bar Association also boycotted legal proceedings at the Sindh High Court.

Earlier, members of the Karachi Bar Association and the Malir District Bar Association held general body meetings to condemn the incident. They did not appear in the courts and tribunals, where the legal proceedings came to a halt.

Protesting outside the Rangers Headquarters, the lawyers criticised the provincial government for failing to bring a halt to the continuous targeted killings of the community's members, which had exposed their ineptitude.

They demanded the Rangers DG to ensure protection to the lawyers' fraternity and ensure the murderers of Amir Haider Shah were brought to the book and taken to task at the earliest.

Later, KBA President Naeem Qureshi met Rangers DG Bilal Akbar. Lawyers said the Rangers DG assured that the killers of the slain lawyer would soon be arrested. On his assurance, the lawyers dispersed peacefully.

On the other hand, a large number of litigants suffered due to the non-appearance of lawyers in the courts to plead their cases.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 30^th, 2015.