Lawyers condemn attack on Mardan Judicial Complex

To boycott courts across KP today

PESHAWAR: Condemning another suicide attack on lawyers at Mardan Judicial Complex after the Quetta carnage, the legal fraternity inKhyber Pakhtunkhwa has asked the government to practically implement the National Action Plan and ensure security to lawyers and courts in the province.

The lawyer community across the province also stopped appearing in cases and observed boycott of courts after receiving information about the attack at Mardan Judicial Complex.  As per reports, at least 12people, including lawyers, policemen and litigants, were killed in the attack.

The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council and Peshawar High Court Bar Association also announced complete boycott of courts across the province for today.  On the request of PHC Bar Association President Muzammil Khan and general secretary Yousaf Ali, the PHC judges stopped judicial proceedings and adjourned the remaining casesafter the attack in Mardan.

Due to security measures and threats, the premises of PHC and Peshawar Judicial Complex were also vacated from the litigants and security was beefed up. Meanwhile, the lawyer bodies including PHCBA, KP Bar Council and Peshawar Bar Association, in an emergency general body meeting at PHC Barroom, termed the terrorist attack a failure of the provincial government in providing foolproof security to the lawyers and courts.

PHCBA general secretary Yousaf Ali, vice-president Yousaf Riaz Khalil and Bilal Khan told the meeting that lawyers and courts have become an easy target for the terrorists due to non-availability of foolproof security.

Peshawar High Court (PHC) Chief Justice Mazhar Alam Miankhel, Muzammil Khan,Yousaf Ali and other PHCBA members also visited Mardan Medical Complex and inquired after the health of the lawyers and other people injured in the blast.

They also visited the Mardan Judicial Complex and met office-bearers of Mardan Bar Association, where they offered fateha for the martyred people including lawyers.MINGORA: Lawyers of the Swat Bar Association announced a one-day boycott of the courts for today to condemn the bombings in Mardan district courts. At an emergency meeting at Swat District Bar Association office and presided over by its president Hazrat Maaz, the lawyers demanded of the government to arrest the perpetrators.