0
LARKANA/MIRPURKHAS: Lawyers boycotted courts’ proceedings in Larkana and Mirpurkhas divisions on Thursday in protest against government failure to maintain its writ and improve law and order conditions in the province.
During the boycott, lawyers stopped police personnel from entering the courts’ premises, forcing police officers to remain outside main gate along with litigants and petitioners under scorching sun throughout the day. Litigants had to leave finally after waiting for several hours.
Meanwhile, lawyers led by office-bearers of District Bar Association, Mohammad Ismail Abro, Javed Buledi and Ghulam Mustafa Magsi staged a sit-in on the court premises against crumbling law and order in the region.
They said that the law and order situation had deteriorated in all districts of Larkana division. Bandits and criminals were openly kidnapping people and looting them without fear of getting caught, they said, adding if anyone tried to resist, he or she was shot dead and the perpetrators escaped easily, they said.
They said that the lawyers’ community in Larkana district was being targeted continuously. Two weeks ago, armed bandits shot and killed Advocate Qasim Channo’s younger brother, Mohammad Akram Channo, during a robbery in Dokri town and fled along with valuables worth hundreds of thousands of rupees.
On the second day of Eid al-Adha, robbers broke into the house of Advocate Mohammad Ali Pirzado in Sikandar Colony, Larkana, and robbed Advocate Wajid Shahani of mobile phones, a wallet and other valuable belongings before fleeing, they said.
They said the Larkana’s legal community was targeted by criminals whereas police remained unfazed.
A delegation of District Bar Association led by its president Mohammad Ismail Abro met Larkana DIG in his office to discuss the law and order situation.
Members of the delegation complained about uncooperative attitude of the DIG and demanded that Chief Minister of Sindh, Home Minister and Inspector General of Police Sindh should take notice of the deteriorating law and order conditions in the division.
They demanded the arrest of all those involved in the murder of Mohammad Akram Channo, brother of Advocate Qasim Channo, and the recovery of valuable belongings looted from lawyers, along with provision of protection.
They threatened to expand the protest if their demands remained unheard. On Thursday the bar’s general secretary, Ghulam Mustafa Magsi, announced through a notice that the protest would continue on Friday during which the court work would remain suspended and police’s entry into the courts’ premises would be banned.
The general body of the bar would be convened on June 14 to chalk out future line of action, they said.
In Mirpurkhas, members of DBA and Sindh High Court Bar Association boycotted the courts’ proceedings in protest against government failure to provide justice to the bereaved families of 54 persons who were killed in police firing on a lawyers rally in Karachi on May 12, 2007.
Lawyers led by Mir Pervez Talpur, Ghaffar Narejo, Ali Hassan Chandio, Asghar Channa and Junaid Maher took out a procession carrying banners and placards.
They strongly condemned the government for failing to serve justice to the bereaved families and demanded the government ensure punishment was awarded to the police officers involved in the firing, register cases and administer justice to the bereaved families without further delay.
Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2025
