Lawyers reject Quetta carnage judicial commission
QUETTA: The Balochistan High Court Bar Association (BHCBA) on Friday rejected a judicial commission formed by the provincial government to probe the Quetta carnage which claimed 74 lives, including 54 lawyers, earlier this year.
President of BHCBA Advocate Ghani Khilji, while addressing a condolence meeting in connection with the Quetta tragedy announced, "We do not accept this judicial commission."
"Morally, it was an obligation of the Balochistan government to resign after the killing of lawyers and other innocent people," Khilji told an emotionally charged crowd of lawyers in the high court building.
The Balochistan government had formed a judicial commission comprising a senior judge of the BHC, Justice Jamal Mandokhail, to probe the Aug 8 suicide bombing.
The members of the legal fraternity also announced they would launch a countrywide protest movement against the Quetta tragedy.
The lawyers associations also called an emergency meeting of general body tomorrow to discuss ways and means with regard to launching of the movement.
Lawyers' leader Advocate Ali Ahmed Kurd while addressing the condolence meeting said that lawyers played an important role for restoration of democracy in the country. "We will never bow our heads before any dictator," Kurd said.
He demanded the government bring the perpetrators of the Quetta bombing to justice.
Former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, Chief Justice Balochistan High Court Justice Muhammad Noor Maskanzai, high court judges, Supreme Court Bar Association office bearers and lawyers, and leaders from various parts of the country participated in the meeting.
Former chief justice Chaudhry and other lawyers' leaders also addressed the condolence meeting.