PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council (KPBC) on Sunday announced province-wide strike today (Monday) against the alleged kidnapping of a senior lawyer, Amir Ijaz Khan.
The council demanded of government to ensure immediate recovery of Amir Ijaz Khan, who is also general secretary of Insaf lawyers Forum Peshawar region. It asked government to conduct a thorough, transparent and impartial investigation into the incident to take legal action against those responsible.
In a press release issued here, KPBC vice-chairman Asfandyar Khan and chairman of its executive committee Malik Imad Azam expressed deep concern over the alleged kidnapping of the senior lawyer in Mardan three days ago.
They stated that the disappearance of a senior lawyer in that manner was extremely alarming.
They said that government must take immediate notice of the incident and take all possible measures to secure his safe return.
They said that on the application of KPBC member Ali Zaman a complete province-wide lawyers’ strike was announced for Sept 21 in support of the demand for Amir Ijaz’s immediate recovery.
They said that lawyers from all bar associations across the province would not appear in court and would boycott judicialproceedings.
Meanwhile, they have also condemned terrorist attack during Friday prayers at Kohat old police lines mosque, noting that the tragic act of terrorism resulted in the loss of precious human lives and left several injured.
They demanded a transparent, impartial and prompt investigation into the incident to bringits perpetrators to justice under the law.
They urged federal and provincial governments to include the families of all those martyred in the blast and all the injured, especially the injured lawyers Malik Jawad and Abdul Basit, in a special government financial relief package.
The KPBC leaders said that immediate financial assistance should be provided to the families of all martyrs and the government should bear all medical expenses for the injured. They expressed heartfelt sympathy and solidarity with the families of the martyrs and prayed for speedy recoveryfor alltheinjured.
They stated that protecting the lives and properties of lawyers and other people was the primary responsibility of the government, therefore, effective and practical measures must be implemented to prevent crimes, kidnappings, disappearances, and terrorist incidents against them.