HYDERABAD: The kidnapping of Sindh High Court (SHC) chief justice’s son, Advocate Awais Ali Shah, may be an attempt to pressure courts of law that are dispensing justice in some important cases.

This was stated by Adviser to the Chief Minister on Information Moula Bux Chandio while speaking to journalists at a programme held here on Tuesday to observe the birth anniversary of assassinated Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) chairperson Benazir Bhutto.

Mr Chandio said the abductors seemed to be professional criminals. He categorically stated that maintenance of peace in Karachi would not be compromised at any cost as it was restored after great efforts made by police and Rangers with the cooperation of all political parties.

He said that immediately after the abduction of Advocate Shah, the chief minister held a cabinet meeting to review security and law and order in Karachi. All important ministers and top officials of the law-enforcement agencies attended it.

Some important decisions were taken to speed up the Karachi operation and make it more fruitful, he said. He said that except for some street crimes, there was no major criminal activities being reported now in Karachi because of the operation.

About the Panama leaks issue, he said some federal ministers were prolonging the matter by arguing that the prime minister’s name was not mentioned in the papers.

He said that Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar was asking the Sindh government to investigate the leaked videos of PPP leader Dr Asim Hussain. He described the minister’s statement ridiculous.

He said that the Federal Finance Minister Ishaq Dar was advising people to eat chicken if pulses had become expensive. Mr Chandio remarked that the finance minister might have been running a chicken business.

Answering questions about MQM’s demand for a separate province, he said that whenever that party found itself in hot waters, it came out with the demand of dividing Sindh. He observed that the MQM never raised the demand while it remained in power for about three decades.

Similarly, he added, whenever the Punjab government felt other pressures, it moved to revive the most controversial Kalabagh dam project, he said.

Lawyers protest

Lawyers across Sindh boycotted court proceedings on Tuesday in protest against kidnapping of the son of Sindh High Court Chief Justice Syed Sajjad Ali Shah on Monday in Karachi.

They also demanded early recovery of Barrister Awais Ali Shah.

Work remained suspended in the Sindh High Court Hyderabad circuit bench and lower courts in protest against the incident.

Lawyers did not appear in civil, sessions and high courts in response to an appeal for a strike by the Sindh Bar Council (SBC).

The High Court Bar Association (HCBA) also held a meeting with its president Ayaz Tunio in the chair to condemn the incident. It demanded immediate recovery of the CJ’s son.

The meeting noted that it was surprising that such an incident had occurred when the authorities and law enforcement agencies were engaged in an operation in Karachi against criminals involved in targeted killings, extortion and kidnapping for ransom.

The Hyderabad District Bar Association (HDBA) also held a meeting and urged lawyers not to attend courts in protest against the incident.

It decided that it would consult the Pakistan Bar Council and Sindh Bar Council before taking any further step in this regard.

Meanwhile, an emergency general body meeting of the District Bar Association Jamshoro was held under chairmanship of Aijaz A. Awan to condemn the kidnapping. It also demanded early recovery of the victim.

SUKKUR: Lawyers staged a demonstration outside the District Bar Sukkur on Tuesday for recovery of Advocate Awais Ali Shah, son of the SHC CJ.

Their leaders described the kidnapping at gunpoint as negligence of the government as well as police.They threatened with a big protest if the higher authorities failed to recover Barrister Awais Ali Shah.

KHAIRPUR: Lawyers boycotted court proceedings and later staged a protest demonstration outside the local press club.

MITHI: Lawyers in this town did not appear before the courts and staged a demonstration outside the courts to lodge their protest against the alleged kidnapping.

Lawyers in Badin, Matli and Tando Bago towns of Badin district also boycotted the court proceedings and demanded early recovery of Mr Shah.

SHIKARPUR: Lawyers of Shikarpur boycotted the court proceedings while demanding quick recovery of Awais Ali Shah.

NAUSHAHRO FEROZE: Lawyers boycotted the court proceedings here in all the courts of the district.

Published in Dawn, June 22nd, 2016