Two brothers, both lawyers, were gunned down by unidentified assailants in the Musharraf Colony area of Mauripur on Saturday. As the news of the killing of two lawyers spread, the lawyers’ fraternity boycotted all proceedings in district courts to register their protest. The Mauripur police said two brothers identified as Altaf Hussain, 40 and Nazir Hussain, 35, sons of Sardar Hussain, were on their way from their residence in Sector 6-E of Musharraf Colony to the city courts in a car, bearing registration number ACQ-305, when some armed attackers sprayed them with bullets. The victims were rushed to the Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) but succumbed to their injuries on the way to the hospital.
Soon after receiving the information of the incident, a number of lawyers reached the hospital where the bodies of the deceased lawyers were taken. The lawyers’ representative bodies condemned the murder of the two brothers and demanded the arrest of culprits involved in the incident. They also announced a joint strategy to stage protests across the city and boycott court proceedings again tomorrow (Monday). As per medico-legal reports, Altaf – who was driving the car – suffered two fatal bullet injuries, while Nazar was hit by a single bullet in his head. Mauripur SHO Sub-inspector Nasarullah told Pakistan Today that the brothers were killed over some personal enmity.
“Initial investigation suggests that the lawyers were gunned down over a family dispute but the police are probing the matter,” he added. Nasarullah said the family hailed from Chakwal. Altaf was the father of three and Nazar had married two years ago and had one child, he added. The Mauripur SHO said that police have found three empty 9mm bullet casings from the crime scene and also impounded the victims’ vehicle until the completion of legal formalities. The bodies of the deceased brothers were sent to their hometown for burial. Later, FIR No 171/11 under section 302/34 of Pakistan Panel Code was registered against unidentified suspects on the complaint of the victims’ brother Dildar Hussain.
Karachi Bar Association (KBA) General Secretary Haider Imam Rizvi told Pakistan Today that the deceased brothers hailed from Chakwal and their bodies were sent to their hometown after funeral prayers at Shah-e-Khurashan. “Both the deceased were KBA members,” added Rizvi. The lawyer bodies would launch a massive protest campaign, if the law enforcers fail to arrest the assailants, he said, adding that the lawyers would boycott court proceedings, stage protests and sit-ins across the city, if the police fail to arrest the culprits.
The KBA General Secretary said that representatives of the lawyers’ bodies, including Pakistan Bar Council member Rasheed A Rizvi, Sindh Bar Council Vice Chairman Iftikhar Javaid Qazi, Sindh High Court Bar Association General Secretary Abid Zubairi, Karachi Bar Association President Muhammad Aqil and the Malir District Bar Association president, have announced a joint protest agitation on Monday, where lawyers will observe total boycott of courts proceedings and hold general body meetings to record their protest.
“Later, the future strategy will be announced at a joint press conference,” he added. Rizvi, on behalf of his legal body, demanded that the provincial government and the law enforcers should immediately take action against the culprits involved in the murder of the two lawyers.“Several lawyers have lost their lives while performing their professional duties, but none of the culprits has been arrested so far, which is sheer negligence of higher authorities,” he added.
