TAXILA: An assistant sub inspector of elite force of Punjab police gunned down two senior lawyers with his official weapon on Saturday, police and hospital sources confirmed.

Malik Israr Ahmed, a seasoned advocate of the high court and former president of the Punjab Bar Council and Zulfiqar Mirza were targeted in their chamber on the district court complex premises.

Soon after the incident, law enforcement official swiftly apprehended the officer identified as assistant sub inspectorIntizar Shah, in-charge Quick Response Force (QRF) Red Zone Attock.

According to the police spokesman, the motive behind the murder is personal animosity as Malik Israr Ahmed represented the ex-wife of the police official in a local family court in which the court anuled his marriage.

As he was in distress after leaving his wife, so he took revenge from the lawyer and his assistant.

Meanwhile, district police officer(DPO) also visited the crime scene and suspended elite force district in-charge and moharar and ordered registration of criminal cases against them for their alleged negligence.

Attock city police have registered a double murder case against the accused police official under section 302, Pakistan Penal Code, section 7 of Anti terrorsim act (ATA) and section 3 of the lawyers welfare and protection act 2023.

The legal community on the call given by Kamran Basheer Mughal Vice chairman Punjab Bar Council observed “black day” on Saturday and announced a complete strike with a decision that no lawyer would appear in any court across the district.

Moreover, Governor Punjab Sardar Saleem Haider Khan and Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif took notice of the incident and condoled with the families of the slain advocates.

They directed Inspector General Police Punjab (IGP) Dr Usman Anwar to take immediate action against the culprits and take departmental action against all the cops involved in the negligence which led to the cold blooded murder of two lawyers in the court complex.

Governor Haider has instructed the IG to take steps to enhance security measures in order to ensure protection of people’s lives and property.

Published in Dawn, June 16th, 2024