PESHAWAR: One of the country’s senior most lawyers, Abdul Latif Afridi, was shot dead in a broad daylight attack inside the bar room of the Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Monday, allegedly over a family feud.

Mr Afridi, 80, was sitting in the bar room with other lawyers when the att­acker opened fire, SSP Ope­r­ations Kashif Abbasi said.

Mr Afridi, a former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, was rushed to Lady Reading Hospital but he could not survive.

The police claimed that the attacker, identified as Adnan Samiullah Afridi, was arrested from the spot and moved to East Canto­n­ment Police Station where a case has been registered.

An officer at the police station told Dawn that the suspect had confessed to the crime and that he had killed the victim over a family feud.

Peshawar Capital City Police Officer Muhammad Ijaz Khan has formed a fact-finding committee, with the SSP investigation as its head, to probe how the attackers managed to sneak a weapon into the court’s premises.

The committee will submit its report within 24 hours.

Funeral will be held on Tuesday (today) at 11am at Hayatabad’s Bagh-i-Naran.

The KP Bar Council has announced a three-day mourning besides a one-day boycott of legal proceedings on Tuesday as a protest.

The incident shocked the legal fraternity with the majority believing that the attack could be the result of a long-standing family feud.

Some senior lawyers, on condition of anonymity, said that in April 2021, an ATC judge Aftab Afridi, his wife and two kids were gunned down in Swabi.

Majid Afridi, the son of the deceased judge, nominated Mr Latif, along with nine others, for being involved in the attack.

Mr Latif Afridi was granted bail by the PHC four days after the attack as he denied any involvement and assured the court of his full cooperation with the authorities during the investigation.

On Dec 24, 2022, a Swabi court acquitted Mr Latif and four others, including his son Danish Afridi.

Samiullah Afridi, the father of Adnan Samiullah Afridi, the prime suspect in Monday’s attack, was also shot dead in 2015. He was part of a lawyers’ team contesting the case of Shakil Afridi.

Shakil Afridi has been accused of helping the US track down former Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. He was jailed for 33 years in May 2012 after he was convicted of ties to militants, a charge he has always denied.

Although two militant organisations claimed responsibility for killing Mr Samiullah, his family refused to accept the claim and stated that someone else was involved in the murder.

After the death of his father, Mr Adnan left for the UAE, citing threats to his life.

PBC, SCBA announce strikes

The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) and the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) — two premier lawyers’ bodies — have also announced a country-wide strike on Tuesday (today).

In a statement, top PBC representatives demanded a speedy trial along with the immediate arrest of the “real” culprits behind the attack.

The statement requested lawyers across the country to not attend courts as a protest.

Likewise, the SCBA also gave a call for a nationwide strike and requested lawyers to boycott the proceedings.

While condemning the attack, PBC Vice Chairman Hafeezur Rehman Chaudhry expressed concerns over the failure of the KP government, Police and other law enforcement agencies in providing security to courts and lawyers.

The PBC demanded the government increase the security in and around courts all over the country.

Mr Chaudhry said that Mr Latif was a senior lawyer and held important offices including the PBC vice-chairman, SCBA president and Peshawar High Court Bar Association president.

He rendered invaluable services for the welfare of Bars’ members and the legal fraternity, Mr Chaudhry added.

Mr Latif always struggled for rule of law, the supremacy of the Constitution, independence of the judiciary and true democracy, the PBC official said. “He was a precious asset of the legal fraternity”.

SCBA President Abid S. Zuberi and Secretary SCBA Muqtedir Akhtar Shabbir, as well as the executive committee of SCBA also expressed their shock over the attack.

“We are of the opinion that simple words of condemnation are no longer sufficient,” the SCBA statement read.

It also demanded the government and law enforcement agencies take steps to allow the lawyers to engage in their practice without any fear of being targeted.

The SCBA also demanded a judicial inquiry into the incident.

The late lawyer was not only an active legal practitioner but also an exceptional and charismatic leader whose life and practice was based on self-esteem, truthfulness and integrity, the statement said.

He was a “vital member” of the lawyers’ movement and faced persecution at the hands of the dictator but did not compromise on his democratic values, the SCBA said.

The association added that it will raise the issue of lawyers’ security before the government and demanded the parliament pass a legislation for the safety of lawyers.

Nasir Iqbal in Islamabad also contributed to this report

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2023