KARACHI, Sept 8: The Karachi Bar Association (KBA) on Saturday banned the entry of six lawyers, including Supreme Court Bar Vice-President Khwaja Naveed, into the City Courts in reaction to an attempted kidnap of its office-bearer.

A general body meeting of the association, held at the Shuhada-i-Punjab Hall of the City Courts, condemned the alleged attempted kidnap of KBA General-Secretary Naeem Qureshi near the Sindh High Court building on Sept 7.

A resolution tabled by KBA Managing Committee Member K.K. Javaid Khan for the cancellation of the basic membership of Khwaja Naveed, Raja Qureshi, Iqtidar Ali Hashmi, Rizwan Ahmed Siddiqui and Qazi Ashraf was unanimously approved.

The resolution says that despite being members of the lawyers’ associations, these individuals are supporting the government against the will of their colleagues.

“Deputy Attorney-General Rizwan Siddiqui had asked me in the presence of seven Sindh High Court judges on Friday to provide him the audio and video record of the speeches he made during the lawyers’ campaign for the independence of the judiciary, but I refused to do so. This angered him,” said Naeem Qureshi.

He said that on his refusal Mr Siddiqui threatened to include his name in the list of missing persons.

“When I came out of the high court building, some nine armed persons in three vehicles approached me and three persons tried to kidnap me,” Mr Qureshi said.

He said the entire incident was in the knowledge of the seven judges who were hearing the May 12 case, adding that the chief justice of Pakistan and the chief justice of the Sindh High Court — including all the leading bar associations — were also apprised of the situation.

“I reserve the right of taking legal action against those involved in the attempt to kidnap me,” he said, adding that he was in a position to face such challenges.

Mr Qureshi said it was ironic that the lawyers who supported the movement for the independence of the judiciary and personally observed the May 12 mayhem were now fighting against their own colleagues for the sake of money.

Condemning the kidnap bid, KBA Vice-President Qadir Khan said it was an open challenge to the whole legal fraternity. He stressed the need that lawyers must maintain unity among their ranks and be prepared to face the challenges.