News
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
Lawyers demand expulsion of rangers from Sindh
* Announce two-day boycott of courts if killers of Altaf and Nazar not arrested
By Asghar Azad
KARACHI: Lawyers of the Sindh Bar Council (SBC), Supreme Court Bar Council (SCBC), Karachi Bar Association (KBA) and Malir Bar Association (MBA) have demanded expulsion of the Rangers from Sindh, alleging that they have failed to retain peace and crush the turbulence from province, especially in Karachi.
They said this in their press conference held here on Monday following a protest rally against the killing of lawyer brothers Altaf Hussain and Nazar Hussain. The lawyers gathered outside the Sindh High Court and marched towards Chief Minister’s house.
SBC vice chairman Qazi Iftikhar and members Munsif Jan, Abbas Ali, Amnullah Yousufzai, Hanif Kashmiri and Nadeem Qureshi; KBA president and secretary general M Aqil Advocate and Hayder Imam Rizvi, MBA secretary general Khalid Mahmood and members Allah Bux Lashari and Rao Zahid were also present in the press conference.
Iftikhar in his address said that the law enforcement institutions had failed to provide protection to the people of province, especially the lawyers’ community of Karachi. The target killings of lawyers started from May 12 and could not be curtailed yet, he added. Iftikhar announced that the lawyers would observe a two-day boycott of court proceedings if the killers of Altaf and Nazar were not arrested.
On this occasion Aqil Advocate said that the lawyers were observing a peaceful rally but the government tried to sabotage it with the law enforcement agencies placing hurdles in their way. He said although the present government is a democratic government its rulers have a dictatorial attitude. He announced that the KBA will take out another rally on Tuesday (today) and will stage a sit-in on MA Jinnah road, adding, “Government will be responsible for situation if it tries to stop this rally”.
Former president KBA Hassan said that the Rangers, deployed in Sindh for many years, have failed to restore peace and control law and order situation. He alleged that the Rangers are supporting target killers and criminals as they released several culprits of target killings. He said that the Rangers is a burden on Sindh budget so the government should send them back to barracks and allocate their budget for the welfare of people.
Earlier, KBA and MBA held their general body meetings at separate bar rooms. They passed resolutions and demanded arrest of Altaf and Nazar’s killers immediately. Lawyers annoyed with CM’s behaviour: During their sit-in outside the CM House, Sindh Katchi Abadies Minister Mahammad Rafique told them to select representatives for a meeting with the CM. A delegation was then selected which went to the CM House. They, however, informed on their return that the CM did not meet them, which was disappointing for the delegation.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk