The legal fraternity across the country would observe a black day on Thursday (today) to mark the May 12, 2007 carnage, which left around 50 persons dead and more than 100 injured in Karachi as the rallies welcoming then deposed Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudry to the city were targeted by armed men in different parts of the city.
The day is being observed on the appeal of Supreme Court Bar Association Secretary General Raja Zulqarnain, who pledged that the lawyers would continue their struggle until the killers are arrested and punished accordingly. The lawyers will wear black armbands and hold general bodies’ meetings and take out processions while black flags will be hoisted on bar associations’ buildings.
Sindh Bar Council, Sindh High Court Bar Association, Lahore High Court Bar Association, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council, Balochistan High Court Bar Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Association, Karachi Bar Association and Malir Bar Association among other important bar associations of the country have announced support for observing the black day. On May 12, 2007, the deposed CJP had to address the lawyer community in an oath-taking ceremony of the Sindh High Court Bar Association, but could not reach the venue due to killings and arson.
The majority of those killed or injured were political activists as the convoys of Qaim Ali Shah, Naveed Qamar, Sherry Rehamn, Nisar Khuhro and Shahi Syed also came under attack. The police and other law enforcers remained silent spectators to the attacks on innocent people as the whole city was taken hostage by armed persons. On the same day, the Sindh High Court (SHC) registrar had submitted a report to then SHC chief justice regarding obstruction of roads leading to the high court and the activities of armed persons around the court building.
Then SHC chief justice converted the report into a constitutional petition while another petition was filed by Iqbal Kazmi in this regard, citing federal government, MQM leader Altaf Hussain, then Sindh chief minister, Home adviser and secretary, chief secretary and inspector general of police among others as respondents. The petitioner had pleaded that high treason cases should be registered against all respondents as they were responsible for the killing of innocent people and blocking the roads leading to the court and other sensitive places like Malir Cantt, Shah Faisal Air Base and Masroor Base.
A larger bench was constituted for hearing the petition but the proceedings were interrupted three times by workers of a political party. After the November 3, 2007 proclamation of emergency, the petition was set aside without charging anyone for the carnage.
