SC directs police to arrest target killers of lawyers

KARACHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the additional IG, Karachi, to expedite efforts for arresting those involved in the target killing cases of lawyers. A three-member bench, headed by Justice Amir Hani Muslim, was hearing a suo moto case on the arrest of accused involved in the killing of lawyers in the province.

On distribution of compensation among the families of lawyers killed in target killing incidents, the Additional Advocate General, Adnan Karim, said out of the 52 deceased lawyers, 40 families of slain lawyers had been given Rs500,000 each as compensation while two families of deceased lawyers will be given compensation within a week.

He submitted that the compensation for the remaining 10 lawyers' families would be paid after confirming details of  deceased lawyers i.e. whether they were practicing lawyers or not. The court was informed by the AIG Legal that cases of lawyers’ killings in different districts of Sindh had been found while 16 cases of lawyers’ target killings had been reported in Karachi.  He said around 22 cases of the lawyers’ targeted killings were being investigated in Karachi.  The Karachi Bar Association secretary assured the court that he would provide details of 10 lawyers whether they were practising or not. The court directed the additional IG, Karachi, to expedite the efforts for arresting those involved in target killings of lawyers and submit the progress report in this regard.