HYDERABAD/LARKANA: High Court Bar Associations of Hyderabad and Larkana, as well as district bar associations, have strongly condemned the call up notice issued to Qaumi Awami Tehreek (QAT) President Ayaz Latif Palijo by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA).
In their separate statements issued on Saturday, they opposed any coercive action that might undermine constitutional freedoms or discourage peaceful and lawful exercise of the democratic right to expression.
The Hyderabad HCBA statement, signed by its President Ayaz Tunio and General Secretary Syed Shahzad Ali Shah, said that Ayaz Latif Palijo is a senior lawyer of Supreme Court. It said the Bar believed that all citizens, especially members of the legal fraternity, have the constitutional right to express their views, defend human rights and raise public issues within the limits of law. It said that no one should be subjected to unnecessary pressure or harassment for exercising these constitutional rights.
The leaders said they firmly stood with Ayaz Latif Palijo, and offered their full support to him.
Lawyers assert every citizen’s constitutional right of expression, oppose any coercive action against the political leader
The legal fraternity would always stand together to protect independence of lawyers, rule of law, freedom of expression and fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution, they said.
The leaders urged authorities concerned to ensure that all legal proceedings were conducted fairly, transparently and strictly in accordance with the Constitution and due process of law.
They said that the Bar remained committed to protecting dignity of the legal profession, independence of the Bar and constitutional rights of every citizen.
The Hyderabad District Bar Association (HDBA) also condemned the call-up notice. Its General Secretary Masood Rasool Babar Memon said that the NCCIA inquiry was launched “apparently on baseless and politically-motivated allegations”.
He expressed the legal fraternity’s concern over initiation of proceedings against Mr Palijo, a senior member of the legal fraternity, without any credible legal basis.
SHCBA’s Larkana chapter also passed a resolution on Saturday vehemently condemning the call-up notice. The Bar completely rejected any discussions, proposals or narratives regarding a division or partition of Sindh “under any pretext and from any platform, whatsoever”.
SHCBA’s Larkana President Athar Abbas Solangi quoted from the resolution to declare that the historic boundaries and unity of Sindh are absolute and non-negotiable. “Not a single person in Sindh will tolerate or accept such malicious narratives, the resolution said, adding that the legal fraternity of Larkana vows to offer a fierce and unyielding resistance against any such attempts.
The resolution said that the SHCBA Larkana strongly condemns the issuance of the notice and summoning of senior politician and intellectual Ayaz Latif Palijo by the NCCIA. “Weaponising regulatory bodies to stifle freedom of speech is a blatant violation of constitutional guarantees,” it said. Expressing a political opinion is not a crime, it asserted, and demanded that government immediately withdraw all such unlawful notices. “We strongly advise the government of Pakistan to develop political maturity to listen to, tolerate and endure the bitter truth, rather than to abusing the government authority to silence independent voices,” it said.
The District Bar Association, Larkana, strongly condemning the call-up notice, reiterated its unwavering commitment to the rule of law, supremacy of the Constitution and protection of the rights of lawyers and the public at large.
Its President, Javed Ahmed Buledi, and General Secretary Aamir Ali Sohoo, said in a statement: “We consider this action an attempt to intimidate a respected political leader and voice of the people of Sindh. Misuse of cyber laws to target dissent and political opinion is a direct violation of fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution,” they said.
The DBA demanded immediate withdrawal of the call-up notice, and urged the authorities concerned to refrain from any coercive action against Mr Palijo. “We stand in full solidarity with Ayaz Latif Palijo and reaffirm our commitment to the rule of law, freedom of expression and democratic values,” it said.
Published in Dawn, August 9th, 2026
