KHARAN: Former Federal Shariat Court and Balochistan High Court chief justice Mohammad Noor Meskanzai was assassinated while offering prayer at a mosque in Kharan town, some 220 kilometres from Khuzdar through Basima-Kharan (N30) highway, on Friday evening.

His brother-in-law, Haji Mumtaz Ahmed, was also critically wounded when gunmen targeted them from outside the mosque, located at Purana Ghazi Road near Justice Meskanzai’s residence.

In a late-night development, the Baloch Liberation Army clai­med responsibility for the deadly attack.

Kharan District Police Officer (DPO) Asif Haleem earlier told Dawn that Justice Meskanzai, 66, was offering Isha prayer when he was shot at. The former chief justice sustained four gunshot wounds in his abdomen and died while being treated at Fron­tier Corps Hospital in Kharan town.

Slain judge’s relative also wounded in shooting claimed by BLA

Both the victims were initially shifted to Divisional Headquarters Hospital in Kharan, the DPO said. The police were looking for the assailants, who immediately fled the site after the incident.

Nazeer Kurd, the deputy inspector general of police at Rakhshan Division, which includes Kharan district, told Dawn there was neither any threat alert about the attack nor did Mr Meskanzai have an old enmity.

“Justice Meskanzai regularly offered prayers at the same mosque, but unfortunately today [Friday] he was targeted from the [mosque’s] window,” the police officer said.

Justice Meskanzai, born on Sept 1, 1956 in Kharan district’s Kunri town, started his legal practice in 1981 from Quetta and went on to become a BHC judge in May 2011, according to the high court’s website.

He was elevated to the high court’s 18th chief justice in December 2014 and served at the post for around four years until August 2018.

He also served as the 17th chief justice of the FSC from May 2019 to May 2022 and authored the landmark judgement that declared the Riba-based banking system against the Sharia.

Meanwhile, Acting Governor Balochistan Jan Mohammad Jamali and Chief Minister Balochistan Mir Abdul Qudoos Bizenjo condemned the incident and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice, APP news agency reported.

According to a Dawn.com report, Mr Bizenjo expressed grief over the demise of the “brave and fearless judge”. He said Justice Meskanzai’s services were “unforgettable” and stressed that the “cowardly attacks of the enemies of peace cannot intimidate the nation”.

Lawyers’ body announces boycott

Meanwhile, Quetta Bar Association President Ajmal Khan Kakar condemned the incident and announced a boycott of the courts along with mourning for three days.

In a statement, he strongly condemned the judge’s killing and said every citizen was deeply saddened by the martyrdom of the former judge. “We strongly condemn this incident and demand that the killers must be immediately arrested and brought to book.”

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2022