MARDAN: The Mardan District Bar Association (DBA) on Monday announced to start a hunger strike camp from today (Tuesday) for an indefinite period against the provincial government for not fulfilling its promises regarding construction of a judicial complex in the old jail area, announcement of Shuhada Package for the families of the lawyers and other people killed in a suicide bomb on the district courts’ premises and release of the promised Rs5 million fund for the lawyers.

This was announced by DBA President Islam Khan Wardag along with other office-bearers while speaking at a press conference at the Mardan Press Club.

He alleged that provincial minister for education Mohammad Atif Khan was hurdle to construction judicial complex in the old jail area, release of the announced Rs5 million for DBA and Shuhada Package.

Mr Wardag said in the past the DBA office-bearers had held meetings with education minister and other lawmakers of the ruling party on the issue, but to no avail.

He said the government wanted to build a judicial complex on the land opposite the new central jail building in Mohabatabad, but the lawyers were against shifting of the district courts there.

DBA general secretary Zarbadshah Khan demanded of the Peshawar High Court Chief Justice and the chief minister to help resolve the issue in the best interest of the local lawyers and the people at large.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2017