Daily Times

LAHORE: The legal fraternity on Saturday observed strike to condemn the suicide attack in Mardan district courts, which resulted in the death of 14 innocent people, including four lawyers.

The lawyers kept themselves away from the courts’ proceedings to protest against the failure of the government in curbing terrorist attacks on lawyers and courts’ premises throughout the country.

The lawyers’ regulatory bodies, including Pakistan Bar Council and Punjab Bar Council, had given the strike call for Saturday. The Lahore High Court Bar Association (LHCBA) held a protest meeting to condemn the attack and demanded the government to provide foolproof security to lawyers.

LHCBA President Rana Zia Abdul Rehman said that the lawyers were continuously being made the target, but government miserably failed to protect them.

He termed the suicide attack on Mardan courts as a cowardly act, adding that his community would not surrender before the evil designs of terrorists and would continue its struggle for supremacy of the constitution and rule of law. He said that terrorists could not be called human beings, as they had no mercy, which was the basic message of all religions.

Rehman demanded the government to track down and punish all those who killed innocent lawyers and other people in Mardan. He also paid tribute to the police officials who sacrificed their lives and did not allow the bomber enter into the premises of the courts.

“We are proud of the sacrifices rendered by our brave police officials,” he said, adding that the government must announce financial support for the families of the martyred officials. The LHCBA president further demanded the government to provide foolproof security to the courts and bar associations across the country and direct the authorities concerned to cooperate with the security officials.

He expressed sympathies with the bereaved families.