PESHAWAR: Participants of a condolence reference on Friday unanimously passed a resolution demanding a judicial probe into the murder of former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) and political leader Abdul Latif Afridi.

Mr Afridi, affectionately known as Lateef Lala, was shot dead in the bar room of the Peshawar High Court on Jan 16 this year allegedly over a blood feud with distant relatives.

The condolence reference titled “Latif Afridi, personality, struggle and life” was arranged by the Latif Lala Memorial Society at the Nishtar Hall here, where politicians from across the political divide, friends and colleagues were in attendance.

The participants unanimously adopted a resolution demanding transparent judicial probe into the murder of the senior lawyer.

“We demand a judicial probe into the murder of Mr Latif Afridi. The culprits should be punished,” the resolution read.

Condolence reference held for Latif Afridi

By passing another resolution, the participants agreed to carry the mission of Latif Afridi forward.

Noted among participants were Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader retired Captain Mohammad Safdar, National Democratic Movement chief Mohsin Dawar, Pakistan Peoples Party leader Farhatullah Babar, MNA Ali Wazir, Awami National Party general secretary Mian Iftikhar Hussain and Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement chief Manzoor Ahmad Pashteen.

They and friends remembered the struggle of Mr Afridi for human rights and democracy, and paid tribute to him for it.

Mr Babar said the reference should also celebrate the life and struggle of Latif Lala.

He said he and many others learnt a lot from the senior lawyer about the Frontier Crimes Regulation and Fata reforms.

He said it was the beauty of Mr Afridi’s personality that he used to bring together people from all schools of political thoughts under one roof.

The PPP leader proposed that an international conference be arranged in Peshawar to alert the world to the new war being imposed on the region.

Senator Afrasiab Khattak said Pakistan had become a failed state.

He said the state was on the verge of bankruptcy; parliament, judiciary and other state institutions were not properly functioning, and military generals had turned into warlords.

“The Afghan policy pursued by the country’s leadership for decades is to blame for this entire mess in the country,” he said.

Mr Khattak demanded a review of Pakistan’s Afghan policy and said Pakistanis should respect the independence of Afghans.

Mr Noorul Haq said he challenged Mr Afridi in the 1997 elections but the latter neither tried to assassinate his character nor did he utter something below the belt during the election campaign.

He said Latif Afridi was the best among all the leaders produced by Khyber tribal district.

“Throughout his life, Latif Lala raised his voice for the oppressed, supremacy of law and strengthening of democracy.

Retired Captain Safdar said the slain senior lawyer had fought tyranny since the days of military ruler General Ayub Khan.

He said the judges of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa always stood for the supremacy of law and it happened because they’re mentored by Mr Afridi.

The PML-N leader also praised former Peshawar High Court chief justice the late Justice Waqar Ahmad Seth for convicting and sentencing former military dictator Pervez Musharraf over treason.

Mr Pashteen said Latif Afridi was a symbol of the struggle against tyranny and military rule.

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2023