Firing by SHO kills bar president, colleague in Daska

DASKA/LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: President of Daska Bar Association Rana Khalid Abbas and another lawyer were killed on Monday morning allegedly as a result of direct firing by SHO City Shahzad Warraich.
According to reports, the clash started after the SHO slapped Rana Khalid. The situation worsened when gunshots were allegedly fired by the police officer, killing the local bar president and another lawyer Irfan Chauhan.
Jehangir Sahi Advocate was reportedly injured in the clash and transported to Lahore for treatment. A passer-by, Shahzad Masih, also received bullet wounds.The ugly episode was a result of a clash between lawyers and TMA employees. According to details, Amir Basharat Bajwa Advocate visited the TMA office for the attestation of a nikahnama but office clerk Farooq refused to attest the papers, saying it was out of his jurisdiction.
In his reaction, Amir Basharat asked his colleagues for help as other lawyers reached the office immediately. Soon after their arrival, confrontation started between the lawyers and the TMA officials. The lawyers allegedly thrashed TMA employees Khalid Pervaiz, Shani Mehar, Khurram Shehzad, Naeem Khan and Maulvi Muhammad Ishaq. Later, the TMA officials detained the lawyers in a room and called in the local police.
Hearing the news, the bar president and others reached there to rescue them.During this confrontation, the local police also arrived at the scene. At this point, the situation turned tense and the police official opened fire. Resultantly, Irfan and Chauhan were injured and later they succumbed to their wounds, leading to a protest by lawyers who blocked traffic at Civil Chowk by burning tyres and hurling stones at the policemen. The law enforcers responded by teargas shelling.
Meanwhile, the SHO, who killed the two lawyers, was arrested.Later in the afternoon, the violent protesters once again surrounded the Daska City Police Station and set ablaze the DSP office located nearby. Police used teargas to disperse the mob. The clash continued till sunset as the crowd left the scene. However, the TMA office and assistant commissioner’s official residence was torched while the rest house was slightly damaged.
A large contingent of police was called in from other police stations to control the agitating lawyers, as all the markets and business centres were closed after the incident.When contacted, Sialkot DPO Shahzad Asif said the accused SHO had been arrested and a strong action would be taken against those responsible for the incident.
Meanwhile, an FIR had been registered against Warraich, the main accused, and four unidentified policemen.Meanwhile, Khawaja Awais Mushtaq, Aurangzeb Marl and Saeed Bhutta - the presidents of district bars of Sialkot, Gujrat and Gujranwala respectively - and Punjab Bar Council member Rana Abrar visited the Daska bar and expressed condolence over the incident.
Similarly, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif sought report of the incident and asked the authorities to take immediate measures to pacify the sentiments of the lawyers’ community. He said nobody should be allowed to take law into his own hand and damage public property.
Soon after the incident, the lawyers staged protests in various cities of the province including Multan, Faisalabad, Gujranwala and Sialkot.In Lahore, the rally was held on The Mall as lawyers demanded immediate action against the cops involved in the killing.
Lahore High Court Chief Justice Manzoor Ahmad Malik took prompt notice of the incident and ordered the authorities to deploy Rangers in Daska to control the situation. The chief justice also rushed to Daska along with other judges and met the lawyers’ leaders there. He directed the Sialkot district and sessions judge to personally look into the matter and furnish a report without delay.
Before leaving for Sialkot, the chief justice visited Mayo Hospital to inquire after the wounded lawyers shifted there from Daska. He directed the doctors to ensure their best treatment.To register their protest, a group of lawyers surrounded the car of the chief justice who assured them of justice to the deceased.
The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) announced countrywide strike on Tuesday (today) and three-day mourning. The PBC vice-chairman, Azam Nazir Tarar, said black flags would be hoisted on the barrooms and the protest meetings would be held across the country.
He demanded of the Punjab government to immediately arrest the culprits responsible for the gruesome murder of lawyers and suspend the DPO Sialkot.Earlier, the angry lawyers marched on The Mall and rallied towards Punjab Assembly. Some of the lawyers tried to enter the assembly premises; however, security personnel closed the main gate. The lawyers hit the gate with kicks and chairs.
Meanwhile, the members of the Lahore Bar Association entered the Commissioner Office and ransacked his car besides manhandling the staff.On the other hand, the PTI lawyers’ wing gave protest call across Punjab. The deceased Daska bar president, Rana Khalid, was also a member of PTI lawyers’ wing.
The PBC appealed to the lawyers to observe nationwide complete strike today. It requested office bearers of all the bar associations to observe three-day mourning on this tragic incident, hoist black flags on bar rooms, and hold protest meetings.
It appealed to the legal fraternity to organise protest rallies to show solidarity with families of the deceased advocates, and demand immediate arrest of the culprits and concrete and practical steps for the safety and security of lawyers.
The PBC Executive Committee chairman and vice chairman demanded of the Punjab government to arrest the culprits and suspend District Police Officer (DPO) Sialkot.In Multan, lawyers held protest demonstrations. They suspended work in courts soon after receiving news about the killing of two lawyers in Daska.
Members of Multan District Bar Association, led by DBA President Khalid Ashraf Khan, held a demonstration at Kutchery Chowk. Members of the People’s Lawyers Forum, led by Syed Arif Shah, rushed to Kutchery Chowk, shouted slogans against the police and announced a ban on police entry into the district bar.
Lawyers announced two-day mourning over the incident. They also declared observing the coming two days as black days. The angry PLF members attacked police vehicles, broke their windscreens and tore off the government banners displayed at the Chowk. They tried to attack policemen sitting in a vehicle, who immediately fled the scene.
Lahore High Court Bar Association Multan President Muhammad Ali Gilani said there would be complete strike at LHC Multan Bench and district courts of ten districts of Multan and Dera Ghazi Khan divisions on May 26 (Tuesday). The strike call has been given by the Punjab Bar Council.
Meanwhile, addressing a press conference, Multan District Bar Association President Khalid Ashraf Khan demanded immediate resignation from Punjab home minister and registration of a murder case against Punjab IG Police, Sialkot DPO, Daska SP. He called upon Supreme Court chief justice and Lahore High Court chief justice to look into the matter personally.
In Gujranwala and Wazirabad, lawyers held protest demonstrations. In Hafizabad, the lawyers observed a strike against Daska tragedy and later they took out a protest rally. DBA President Syed Nasir Hussain Sherazi and General Secretary Amanullah Sindhu led the rally. They chanted slogans against police and blocked traffic near Jinnah Chowk.
In Nankana Sahib, DBA observed complete strike and boycotted court proceedings to register their protest.
Shahkot Bar also protested against Daska incident. The lawyers blocked Faisalabad-Sheikhupura Road. There were long queens of vehicles on both sides.
In Muzaffargarh, Lawyers expressed solidarity with their colleagues in Daska and suspended their duties in protest.
In Sialkot, hundreds of lawyers led by district bar association (DBA) president Khawaja Awais Mushtaq staged a protest demonstration against the Daska incident and raised slogans against police. They demanded a stern action against the culprits.
The DBA members are observing a total strike today (Tuesday) against the tragic incident.
In Faisalabad, lawyers condemned the killing of two lawyers. The DBA members led by president Malik Ayub severely condemned the incident and blocked Zila Council Chowk for more than an hour in protest.
The lawyers pelted Civil Lines Police Station with stones and injured cop Gulzar Ahmad. Later, they dispersed.
Pakistan Muslim League-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and senior central leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi have condemned the killing of two lawyers in Daska by police.
In a joint statement, they said this was ample proof of government’s inefficiency and lawlessness in the province.
The PML-Q leaders prayed for early recovery of the injured and expressed their heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families.
Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) Quaid Altaf Hussain condemned police firing on lawyers in Daska.
In a statement, he expressed his deep sorrow and grief over the killings two lawyers. He said that the police brutality could not be tolerated.
He demanded the prime minister, interior minister and Punjab chief minister immediately order impartial probe.
Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Ameer Sirajul Haq, deputy chiefs, secretary general, and JI Punjab chief have condemned the murder of two lawyers in Daska.
They demanded impartial inquiry into the incident.
Sirajul Haq said that the prime minister and the chief minister Punjab could not absolve themselves of their responsibility simply by taking notice of the incident. He said that the Punjab government and the Punjab police had not learnt any lesson from the Model Town tragedy.