HYDERABAD: A standoff between the legal fraternity and police continued for a third consecutive day, Thursday, as DIG Tariq Razzak Dharejo, who had a day earlier promised to visit the District Bar Association (DBA), shied away from negotiations.

The DIG had held talks with agitating lawyers over their demand to quash an FIR against Advocate Ali Raza Bozdar, whose car was also briefly impounded for bearing a fancy number plate and tinted glasses, on Monday last.

Despite hectic efforts made by senior lawyers, SHO of the Bhitai Nagar police station did not oblige them to quash the FIR. The next day, several hundred lawyers held a demonstration outside SSP Dr Farrukh Ali’s office urging him to suspend the SHO. However, the SSP also did not hear the agitators. During the hours-long demonstration, a large group of charged lawyers stormed their way into the SSP’s office but failed to receive any favour.

Protesting over the stubborn attitude of the SHO and SSP, the legal fraternity held a sit-in outside the SSP’s office which continued till late Wednesday evening. DIG Dharejo had to intervene to get the sit-in called off by promising to meet the agitating lawyers’ representatives in the DBA office on Thursday.

However, the DIG did not turn up and his absence prompted the legal fraternity to resume the sit-in, which caused blockade of Hyderabad by-pass, and resultant inconvenience to commuters throughout the day. Long queues of vehicles, including trucks, buses and cars, remained stuck along the bypass and adjoining roads.

Explaining his act of reneging from his promise, DIG Dharejo told Dawn on Thursday evening: “I was told by HDBA and HCBA leaders they can’t guarantee that I won’t face any embarrassing or unpleasant situation if I visit the Bar. We treated advocates respectfully by showing restraint on Tuesday. They asked me to bring transfer order of SSP to which I said its beyond my domain and, therefore, I did not go to meet them.”

Members of the Hyderabad DBA and HCBA remained charged throughout the day, holding their informal general body meetings in their respective offices. They also kept raising slogans against police as well as their ‘pro-government’ colleagues who were demonstrating a relatively softer stance on the issue.

Waiting for the DIG till Thursday afternoon and learning that he was not coming, the agitating lawyers left the HCBA to march towards the SSP’s office, located paces away from Sindh High Court’s Hyderabad circuit bench, raising slogans against the police.

The district police had made unusual deployment outside the office of the SSP, who stayed away from duty and also didn’t appear in high court on behalf of IGP Ghulam Nabi Memon.

Led by Sajjad Chandio, K.B. Leghari and Faisal Mughal, the charged lawyers marched towards Hyderabad Bypass after crossing Wadhu Wah road to resume their sit-in.

Sindh PPP Information Secretary Ajiz Dhamra and Hyderabad PPP General Secretary Waseem Rajput were present there for negotiations.

Home Minister Zia Lanjar was expected to have a brief stopover in Hyderabad on his way back to Karachi from Nawabshah.

“Now it is our only demand that the Hyderabad SSP should be removed; we will start any negotiation only after his demand is met,” said HCBA President Ayaz Tunio.

He told Dawn that he had spoken to the home minister and IGP and urged them to help defuse the situation “lest it becomes a Sindh-wide agitation”. He cautioned that if the protest turned into a Sindh-wide agitation, then “our demand may become tougher to meet.” Tunio did not disclose that demand.

He also made an offer that government should form a judicial commission. “We will face the judicial commission and its punishment if we are found guilty. But, SSP must be transferred till the commission comes up with its findings,” Tunio said.

In a late evening development, IGP Ghulam Nabi Memon apparently responded to lawyers’ offer.

Speaking to Dawn, he said police were ready for two things. A judicial inquiry can be ordered by a sessions judge; or a joint investigation team (JIT) having representation of a sessions judge, a Bar leader and a police officer can be constituted. 

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2025