PESHAWAR: Amid boycott of courts by lawyers across the province against his assassination, Samiullah Afridi, a former lawyer for Dr Shakil Afridi, was laid to rest in his ancestral graveyard here on Wednesday.

People from different walks of life, especially lawyers and social activists, turned up in large numbers to participate in the last rites of Samiullah, who was killed by unidentified gunmen here on Pajjagi Road on Tuesday.

Samiullah remained a lawyer for agency surgeon of Khyber Agency Dr Shakil Afridi, who was arrested on the charge of helping American CIA track down Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden but was convicted by an assistant political agent for links with a militant outfit.

He had gone abroad in Dec 2013 after receiving threats from unidentified persons but returned recently.

Samiullah withdrew himself from the Shakil Afridi case in May 2014 over threats.

The funeral prayer of Samiullah, also a former secretary general of Fata Lawyers Forum, was held at his village, Jag Kalae, on Pajjagi Road. He was later laid to rest at his family graveyard.

On the call of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council, lawyers boycotted courts across the province.

A condolence meeting of the Peshawar High Court Bar Association was held here.

The association’s president, Essa Khan, chaired the meeting, where participants prayed to the Almighty Allah to rest the departed soul in eternal peace.

The participants said they stood by the bereaved family in the hour of tragedy and prayed that the Almighty Allah give courage to the family to bear the loss.

PHCBA secretary general Ayaz Khan said the death of Samiullah was a clear case of targeted killing, which was a condemnable act.

He said by defending Dr Shakil in a case, the deceased fulfilled his professional responsibility and didn’t do anything wrong.

Ayaz said Samiullah was a very humble person and had always raised voice for the rights of the tribesmen.

He also said the deceased had struggled for judicial reforms in tribal areas.

CIVIL SOCIETY PROTESTS: The civil society on Wednesday resented the assassination of Samiullah Afridi and criticised the government and law-enforcement agencies over it.

Representatives of Aman Tehrik Peshawar, Pakhtunkhwa Civil Societies Network and Tribal NGOs’ Consortium met here to discuss the assassination of Samiullah Afridi.

They adopted a resolution, which paid tribute to Samiullah Afridi over contributions to the provision of justice to the needy people, especially tribesmen, from all over tribal areas.

The participants said tribesmen, political activists and human rightists would long remember Samiullah.

They urged the government to announce a prestigious award for the deceased as he was shot dead by those, who were opposed to the rule of law and were reluctant to recognise the supremacy of the Constitution.

By adopting another resolution, the participants showed disappointment at the role of government functionaries, especially personnel of law-enforcement agencies.

They observed that the cowardly act on part of militants confirmed the failure of law-enforcement agencies in honouring their promises and commitments with the people regarding end to violence, terrorism and militant networks.

The participants urged the government to confess to its failure to protect public life and property before quitting.

Published in Dawn March 19th , 2015

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