LAHORE: The judges and lawyers on Monday condemned targeted killing of former president of the Balochistan High Court Bar Association and subsequent suicide attack at Quetta Civil Hospital, claiming lives of lawyers, media persons and others.

The Lahore High Court chief justice and the judges offered their heartfelt sympathies and condolences to the bereaved families and the people of Balochistan. They prayed for the speedy and full recovery of those wounded in the attack.

Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah also contacted Balochistan High Court Bar Association president Khan Abdul Ghani Khan and expressed solidarity with the people of the province and lawyers’ community, a statement issued by the LHC said.

Reacting to Quetta carnage, legal fraternity of the provincial metropolis abandoned their work and went on strike. The bar associations held emergency meetings and protest demonstrations to condemn the attack.

Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), Punjab Bar Council (PbBC), Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) announced one-week of mourning, besides boycott of courts.

At a media briefing, SCBA president Syed Ali Zafar announced a three-day complete strike. He said this was the first time in the history of Supreme Court that a strike had been called. He added that strike call was necessary as this was an attack on the country’s justice system itself and the government must be forced now to take adequate measures.

He said all members of the SCBA had been directed not to appear in the courts.

Mr Zafar called upon the legal community to stage a protest demonstration in front of the parliament building and demanded that interior minister and police chiefs of all the provinces should hold meetings with the legal community to ensure a foolproof strategy for implementation of the security measures in all courts of the country. He said the public also deserved the same kind of protection as the VIPs of the country enjoyed.

At a general house meeting, LHCBA President Rana Zia Abdul Rehman announced that ghaibana namaz-i-janaza (funeral payers in absentia) would be offered for the Quetta blast victims followed by a protest rally on Tuesday (today).

After the meeting, the bar members gathered at the GPO crossing on The Mall and chanted slogans against the attack. They demanded resignation of federal and Balochistan governments for failing to protect lives of the citizens.

Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2016