Lawyers blame intelligence agencies

Pakistani lawyers chant slogans during a protest against Tuesday's bombing incident in Peshawar July 18, 2007. Police in the Pakistani capital put up checkpoints and mounted extra patrols on Wednesday as the death toll from the suicide attack outside a court on Tuesday in Islamabad rose to 16, hospital officials said. REUTERS/Mian Khursheed (PAKISTAN)



Lawyers blame intelligence agencies

By By our correspondent

PESHAWAR: The Pakistan Bar Council Executive Committee Chairman Qazi Muhammad Anwar on Tuesday alleged that intelligence agencies were behind the suicide blast near the venue of the lawyers’ gathering in the federal capital, which was scheduled to be addressed by the suspended chief justice of Pakistan.

“The unprecedented welcome to Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry by the masses as well as lawyers has frustrated the government, which is now out to thwart the lawyers’ movement by terrorist acts,” Qazi told The News by phone minutes after the blast.

Qazi, who is one of the counsels for the chief justice, said the blast would not adversely affect the ongoing movement of the lawyers; rather, it would augment the drive. He said that the Joint Action Committee has summoned a meeting on Friday, which would be attended by the presidents of the high courts and district bar associations, where in the future line of action would be worked out.

Peshawar High Court Bar Association President Abdul Latif Afridi, talking to The News from Islamabad, said the attack was aimed at pressurising the lawyers to end their movement against the government. He said the hand of spy agencies as well as Islamic militants in the aftermath of the recent Lal Masjid operation could not be ruled out in the blast.

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Lawyers observe Black Day throughout Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The lawyers throughout Pakistan including Azad Jammu and Kashmir Wednesday observed Black Day against the killing of 17 persons in a suicide attack on Tuesday night in Sector F-8 Islamabad.
They boycotted courts proceedings and staged protest demonstration in order to show sympathy with the victims of the suicide attack.
Black flag were flattered at the offices of the all District Bar Associations while several district bars associations also offered funeral in absentia for the victims of the suicide attack.
The strike was observed on the joint call of Pakistan Bar Council, Punjab Bar Council and Supreme Court Bar Association.
Islamabad: The Islamabad District Bar Association (IDBA) has strongly condemned the recent suicide blast in district court Islamabad, and has scoffed at government’s theory of involvement of lal Masjid.
In an emergency meeting held in the Bar room, and convened by president IDBA, advocate Haroon-ul-Rashid, the secretary general, advocate Syed Muhammad Tayyab floated a resolution strongly condemning yesterday’s suicide bombing, and demanded an immediate open judicial enquiry about the gory incident.
The resolution also maintained that such acts cannot weaken the efforts of lawyers’ movement.
The lawyers also announced that the incident was not a suicide blast, but rather the bomb was placed on site, while the motorbike found destroyed belonged to a deceased Tariq Abbasi.
The lawyers also denounced all the official comments and analysis as trite beyond limits, since the deceased and wounded were mere innocent persons, having no enmity, but were rather gathered to hear the speech of CJ, and express their solidarity with him.
Rawalpindi: District Bar Association on Wednesday observed Black Day and strongly condemned the suicide bomb attack (Tuesday night) at the venue of Lawyers Convention at Islamabad where CJP was going to address terming it a dirty tactic applied by the Government to sabotage the event.
Lawyers all over the country completely boycotted Courts and observed Black Day while raised black flags to express their anger over the gruesome incident.
The formal call was given by Pakistan Bar Council, Punjab Bar Council and Supreme Court Bar Association after Tuesday’s incident.
They prayed to Almighty Allah to rest the departed souls in eternal peace and give courage to the family members to bear the irremediable losses.
In a meeting held, Former Vice President Supreme Court Bar Association Muhammad Akram Chaudhry, Member PBC Sanaullah Zahid and President District Bar Khalid Ismail Abbas, General Secretary Intizar Mehdi Shah and other high officials of High Court condemned the suicide attack terming it a proof of complete failure of the government.
They said that the reason behind the attack was to terrify the Lawyers’ agitation adding that regime has failed to curb terrorism that has resulted in such attacks in the Capital.
They were of the view that dozens have died in the Blast stressing that time has come for Musharraf to step down and national Government should be formed immediately.
Karachi: Sindh High Court Bar Association and District Bar Association Karachi also summoned separate meetings of its general body regarding the suicide attack in Islamabad.
President Sindh High Court Bar Association Ibrar Hassan, General Secretary District Bar Association Naeem Qureshi and other speakers in their speeches held the government responsible for the present crisis.
They demanded the government to track down the real culprits of the incident as soon as possible. They also demanded reinstatement of the Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary by withdrawing the presidential reference against him.
They have also offered funeral in absentia in the court yard of the Karachi District Court for those who lost their lives in the suicide attack.
Peshawar: Lawyers throughout NWFP also strongly condemned the gruesome killing of the innocent people in Islamabad. No proceeding was observed in the Peshawar High Court and its subordinate courts. In this connection a meeting was held in the supervision of the Chairman Peshawar Bar Council Latif Afridi. Latif Afridi blamed that involvement of the government in the incident could not be ruled out in order to bring the lawyers campaign to halt.
District Dera Ismail Khan, Noshera, Swat, Abbottabad, Batagram and other districts also observed black day in order to sympathy with the suicide attack.
Quetta: The lawyers community of Balochistan also observed black day on the call of Balochistan High Court Bar Association. They boycotted the court proceedings and termed the suicide attack as an attempt to assassinate the Chief Justice.
President Balochistan Bar Association Baz Muhammad Kakar while talking to BBC said that government is bewildering due the issue of Chief Justice wanted surpassed the lawyers campaign.
Funeral in absentia was also offered in the several districts Bar of Balochistan.
Muzaffarabad: The lawyers of Azad Jammu and Kashmir protested and boycotted the judicial proceedings over the recent suicide bomb blast on CJ’s welcome here in Muzaffarabad.
According to the details, the lawyers protested and also boycotted the judiciary proceedings over the recent suicide bomb blast on Chief Justice’s welcome.
Vice Chairman Azad Jammu and Kashmir Bar Council Shaukat Ali kiani advocate appealed to Central Bar Association Muzaffarabad and other Associations to boycott the judicial proceedings and protest against the recent suicide bomb blast on Chief justice’s welcome.
A resolution was passed in a conference, which was held under the leadership of President Central Bar Association Muzaffarabad Raja Sadaqat Hussein advocate. In the resolution it was said that the current Government should be dissolved and the caretaker government should be set up for fair and transparent elections.
They condemned the recent suicide attacks in Waziristan Agency and expressed their sympathies with the family members of injured ones and offer Fateh for the departed souls.
They have also demanded that element involved in these terrorist activities should apprehended and should be given an exemplary punishments.

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Lawyers protest Islamabad blast
By Muhammad Qasim

ISLAMABAD: The legal fraternity throughout the country on Wednesday held a complete strike on the call of Pakistan Bar Council and the Supreme Court Bar Association to condemn a bomb blast near Islamabad city courts where Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry was to address a lawyers' convention.
The lawyers boycotted the court proceedings besides staging rallies in different major cities of the country.
Office bearers of the bar councils, bar associations and councils of the lawyers at Rawalpindi, Islamabad and Peshawar, when contacted by 'The News', claimed to have held successful strike with 100 percent participation of lawyers in their respective courts. They blamed the government for the incident that claimed at least 17 lives leaving more than 50 injured.
All those killed or injured in bomb blast at Pakistan People's Party reception camp were civil society members who have come to attend the convention to express their solidarity with the CJ and legal fraternity on the invitation of Islamabad District Bar Association. No advocate was among the killed or injured, said Secretary General Islamabad Bar Association Syed Mohammad Tayyab while talking to 'The News'.
He said the lawyers in Islamabad and Rawalpindi district courts observed full-day strike like other parts of the country. Tayyab said that a general body meeting chaired by President Islamabad DBA Haroon-ur-Rashid was held here to condemn the blast that according to lawyers was an attempt to sabotage the lawyers' movement for independence of the judiciary. In the meeting, Tayyab presented a resolution demanding judicial inquiry into the matter and action against all those who were responsible for it. Qazi Rafiuddin, Amjad Iqbal Qureshi, Alim Abbassi, Shaikh Abdur Rashid and Javed Saleem advocates, addressing the bar, said the bomb blast was not a suicidal one rather it was planted.
Tayyab said the blast was not a reaction of Lal Masjid operation, and the government statements terming the incident a suicidal bomb blast were baseless.
"The motorcycle that was said to be of suicide bomber was of Tariq Abbasi, a political activist," he added.
A complete strike was also held in courts of all districts of Peshawar. President Peshawar Bar Association (PBA) Fida Gul told 'The News' that 100 percent lawyers participated in the strike done at all district & sessions courts, civil courts, courts of the judicial magistrates and even in special courts including the Peshawar High Court.
Gul said the PBA and Peshawar High Court Bar Association convened jointly a general body meeting to condemn the bomb blast. Khalid Iqbal adds from Rawalpindi: Lawyers community Wednesday observed complete strike here protesting the blast.
The lawyers of Rawalpindi Bar Association (RBA) were present in their offices but they didn't appear before any court.
President RBA Raja Khalid Ismael Abbasi told 'The News' that the recent bomb blast was pre-planned. He said the government wanted to sabotage lawyers' solidarity with the chief justice. But, he added, the lawyers would not go back at any cost and they would proceed with a new zeal and fervour.
He said the government was trying to avoid the coming elections by opting to such acts. He said the lawyers would sacrifice everything for their struggle to restore the judiciary's sanctity. "It is very sad that many valuable lives got wasted in this bomb blast. Most of the victims belonged to the PPP and civil society.
Agencies add: In Lahore, the lawyers of Lahore High Court and lower courts boycotted courts Wednesday to protest the blast.
They also staged a protest sit-in for one hour at PMG Chowk.
In Karachi, legal fraternity Wednesday strongly condemned the bomb blast.
The lawyers held the government responsible for failing to control lawlessness and terrorism in the country and demanded rulers to immediately step down.
Lawyers observed a black day against killing of innocent peoples, completely boycotted court proceedings in Sindh High Court, City Court, Malir Court and took out protest rally.
In Multan, lawyers organised a rally and observed complete boycott of courts to condemn and express their anger and grief over the blast. The lawyers wore black armbands and hoisted black flags on the bar buildings. They also offered Ghaibana Namaz-e-Janaza of the blast victims.