Lawyers observe complete strike across Punjab

Say RAW may be involved in Quetta suicide attack;
politicians, journalists condemn incident

MULTAN: Lawyers on Tuesday observed black day against the Quetta suicide attack. They also held a protest meeting. Addressing a meeting, Multan High Court Bar Association president Sheikh Jamshed Hayat said that there was no security for the legal fraternity, particularly in the restive areas like Balochistan. He said that the government should provide the best treatment to those injured in the attack. He prayed for eternal peace of the departed souls. He said that the federal and provincial governments had failed to protect the lives of citizens, particularly the lawyers. He urged the government to provide security to the lawyers. He demanded the government announce compensation for the victims.

The District Bar Association also organised a meeting. Speaking on the occasion, District Bar Association president Azimul Haq Pirzada demanded financial compensation for the families of those killed in the suicide blast. He said that a number of lawyers had been targeted in the recent days. They include Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) former member Chaudhry Nasrullah Warraich, he added. He said that the prime objective of the terrorists was to create anarchy across the country but the lawyers would foil their nefarious designs. He said that the lawyers would follow the Pakistan Bar Council decision regarding the countrywide strike.

Meanwhile, Majlis Wahdatul Muslimeen announced a three-day mourning to condemn the Quetta carnage. Talking to journalists here, MWM south Punjab secretary general Allama Iqtidar Hussain Naqvi demanded indiscriminate implementation on the National Action Plan. He said that the terrorists were enemy of the country and nation.

FAISALABAD: The District Bar Association observed complete strike against the Quetta tragedy here on Tuesday. The lawyers also boycotted the courts to register their protest. Meanwhile, in a joint statement, DBA president Nazir Ahmad Sahi and secretary Azhar Hanif Khan condemned the bloodbath in Quetta. They said that the nation would frustrate the evil designs of the terrorists. They apprehended that the RAW might be involved in the Quetta bloodshed. They urged the government to beef up security in the country.

Later, Ghaibana Namaz-e-Janaza of the Quetta suicide attack victims was offered on the DBA premises. A large number of lawyers participated in it. After the Ghaibana Namaz-e-Janaza, the participants offered Fateha for the departed souls. They also wanted to take out a protest rally but postponed it due to security reasons.

PAKPATTAN: The District Bar Association Pakpattan and the Tehsil Bar Association Arifwala members on Tuesday observed a complete strike against the Quetta attack.No lawyer appeared before the courts to register their protest. Speaking on the occasion, DBA Pakpattan president Malik Nasrullah said that it was not the suicide attack at the Civil Hospital but on our houses. He strongly condemned the suicide attack, which claimed 71 precious lives in Quetta. Meanwhile, PTI leader Mian Ahmad Raza Maneka while talking to reporters also condemned the suicide attack at Quetta hospital and said that the terrorists were against the progress of the country. He asked the law enforcement agencies to expedite operation against the terrorists. PML-N leader MNA Sardar Manis Ali Dogar said that the Quetta tragedy was not a minor incident. He demanded strict action against the terrorists. He said that it was need of the hour to root-out terrorism from the country. Meanwhile, a meeting of journalists was held at the press club in which Muhammad Arshad Ahmad Khan, Iftikhar Bhatti, Muhammad Akmal, Tahir Fareed, Nayar Jamil Butt and others participated. The journalists said that the RAW was involved in the Quetta attack. They expressed grief and sorrow over the loss of precious lives in the attack.

BUREWALA: The Burewala Bar Association members on Tuesday observed a complete strike against the Quetta blast, which claimed 71 precious lives.

The lawyers boycotted courts proceedings against the blast. A special condolence reference was held at the bar room, which was presided over by the bar president Muhammad Javed Shaheen while a large number of lawyers participated in it. The lawyers offered Fateha for the victims of the Quetta carnage. The Burewala Bar Association office-bearers and members, including Muhammad Naveed Cheema, Rana Zafar, Mehr Tahir Amjad, Sardar Sajjad Dogar, Muhammad Waqas Ashfaq, Khalid Masood Bhatti, Ch Talat Mehmood, Shahbaz, Mehr Asad Masood, Syed Bhuman Shah, Syed Sardar Shah, Shah Nawaz Bhatti, Sardar Muhammad Ayub Dogar, Akram Nadeem Ch, Muhammad Rahman Khokhar, Ch Fiaz Azeem, Malik Zulfiqar Awan, Sardar Zahoor Ahmad Dogar, Mehr Iftikhar Ahmad and others, expressed their resentment over the tragic incident of Quetta and termed it a brutal act of the terrorists to kill the innocent people. They demanded the government take action against the terrorists and their facilitators. The lawyers also wore black armbands and chanted slogans against the tragic incident.

ARIFWALA: Lawyers observed a strike to express their resentment against the Quetta incident.

The lawyers also held a protest meeting in the chair of bar president Mian Murad Bhatti while former bar president Khan Imtiaz Ali Khan also attended the meeting. The bar president said that the sacrifice of the lawyers died in the incident would be fruitful in future to eradicate the terrorist activities from the country. He said that lawyers’ community always played their role for providing justice to the deprived citizens, rule of law, supremacy of constitution and safeguarding the democracy. Rana Zahid Hussain, ex-bar president, said that lawyers’ community would not forget sacrifices of those lawyers died in the blast.

CHAKWAL: The funeral in absentia was offered for the Quetta blast victims, including lawyers, in the lawn of the District Judicial Complex here on Tuesday.

District and Sessions Judge Mushtaq Ahmed Tarar, DCO Mehmood Javed Bhatti, DPO Munir Masood Marth and DBA president Kh Asghar Farooq also attended the funeral prayers. Earlier, Quran Khawani was also held for the Quetta blast victims. Speaking on the occasion, the sessions judge condemned the brutal incident at Quetta and said that strict action would be taken against the terrorists. DCO Mehmood Javed Bhatti said that the nation was united against the terrorists. DPO Munir Masood aid that the police were ready to counter terrorism. Kh Asghar Farooq said that the lawyers would continue their struggle to eliminate terrorism from the country. Meanwhile, a complete strike was also observed by the lawyers at Chakwal, Talagang and Choa Saiden Shah courts.

BAHAWALPUR: Lawyers on Tuesday observed a complete strike against the Quetta carnage, which claimed 71 lives.

The lawyers of the Lahore High Court Bahawalpur Bench Bar Association, the district bar associations and tehsil bar associations of different cities observed a complete strike to condemn the Quetta blast. The lawyers observed the strike at Bahawalpur, Rahimyar Khan, Bahawalnagar, Sadiqabad, Khanpur, Liaqatpur, Ahmadpur East, Yazman, Khairpur Tamiwali, Hasilpur, Chishtian, Haroonabad, Fort Abbas and Minchinabad.

JARANWALA: The lawyers observed complete strike and took out a rally in the city. They were chanting slogans against the incident. They were also carrying placards and banners. The lawyers also boycotted the courts. Later, a meeting of the Jaranwala Bar Association was held under the chairmanship of Azhar Hussain Baloch. The meeting condemned the gruesome incident. It demanded stern action against the culprits.

GUJRANWALA: The funeral in absentia for the martyrs of Quetta attack was held at the Sessions Court here on Tuesday.

Sessions Judge Habibullah Amir and a large number of lawyers and citizens attended the funeral prayers. The DBA members also observed a complete strike and boycotted the courts proceedings against the Quetta blast.

NANKANA SAHIB: A complete strike was observed by the District Bar Association against the Quetta suicide attack. The lawyers wore black armbands and offered Ghaibana Namaz-e-Janaza of the victims.