PESHAWAR, Nov 13: The representatives of lawyers from different parts of the province on Saturday condemned the growing incidents of violence against lawyers including their kidnapping, saying they would observe province-wide strike on Monday.

A meeting convened by Peshawar High Court Bar Association (PHCBA) called upon Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Provincial Police Officer Fiaz Ahmad Toru to replace the entire police officers in the provincial capital including the chief of the capital city police as they miserably failed in curtailing the growing incidents of kidnapping for ransom.

The meeting unanimously decided that no lawyer would plead any case of a suspect arrested on charges of kidnapping for ransom under section 365-A of Pakistan Penal Code. If any lawyer violated that decision his social boycott would be observed.

It was decided that another meeting would be held after Eid on Nov 22 in which they would review the progress in these cases and would decide whether to go on indefinite strike or not.

The vice-chairman of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council, Ahmad Farooq Khattak, supported the strike call, saying the council would make amendments in the relevant rules so as to bar appearance of lawyers on behalf of accused-persons in cases of kidnapping for ransom.

He said that the bar council had also convened a meeting of the representatives of all bar associations on Dec 4 wherein different issues would be discussed including kidnapping of lawyers, independence of judiciary, etc.

The meeting, chaired by PHCBA president Syed Attique Shah, regretted that Advocate Zain Khan Khalil could not be recovered despite passing of over a month of his kidnapping, whereas another lawyer Hamid Shehzad had been missing for the last one week.

The participants said that after the kidnapping of known physician Dr Intikhab Alam the doctors had observed complete strike due to which he was recovered within few days.

They added that the lawyers should also adopt tough line of action so as to pressurise the law enforcement agencies for early recovery of the kidnapped lawyers.

They said that it was beyond understanding how could people be kidnapped and taken to tribal areas when the security forces had been stationed in every tribal agency and had set up their checkposts.

The meeting was addressed by Barrister Zahoorul Haq, Abdul Lateef Afridi, Syed Attique Shah, PHCBA secretary general Ameenur Rehman, Supreme Court Bar Association vice president Mohammad Arif Khan, Peshawar Bar Association president Razaullah Khan, Ahmad Farooq Khattak, Shahjehan Khan and Asad Aurangzeb from Mansehra, Shahab Khan from Dera Ismail Khan, Riaz Khan from Kohat, Ikramullah Khan from Charsadda, Shahid Khan from Nowshera, Iqbal Khan Hoti from Mardan, Jan Alam from Karak, Shabir Khan from Hangu and others.

Barrister Zahoorul Haq alleged that the law and order situation had turned worst as the law enforcement agencies had been acting in connivance with the robbers, thieves and anti-social elements. He said that keeping in view the gravity of the situation they had to make tough decisions including not to represent suspects arrested in connection with kidnapping for ransom.

Mr Haq hailed the steps taken by the PHC Chief Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan for cleansing the subordinate judiciary of corruption.

Syed Attique Shah said that few weeks ago Advocate Yawar Saleem was kidnapped in Haripu and was killed despite payment of ransom. In that case, he added, a police inspector was arrested and it was now clear to them that in such cases police and investigation agencies were involved.

Mr Shah paid tributes to Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry for issuing notices to the intelligence agencies in cases of 11 missing persons.

Abdul Lateef Afridi said that ever since the creation of Pakistan corruption remained the hallmark of the institutions. He suggested that a committee of lawyers should visit the PPO and set a deadline to him for recovery of the kidnapped lawyers and in case of their failure the lawyers should observe indefinite strike.

He pointed out that in the case of Zain Khan Khalil the PHC chief justice had summoned the Peshawar CCP, but instead of him the investigation officer turned up which showed how much serious police were in such cases.