Legal fraternity to hold peace convention on Nov 5

Terrorism, target killing

PESHAWAR: The legal fraternity in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has decided to convene ‘Lawyers Peace Convention’ in the provincial capital in view of the surge in terrorist attacks and target killing of lawyers.

The Peshawar High Court Bar Association (PHCBA) has convened the convention at the PHC Barroom for November 5.The lawyers have filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court of Pakistan against the PTI-led provincial government to take action against negligent officials in the Mardan attack and they also sought proper compensation for the martyred lawyers. They want the provincial government to provide them foolproof security.

PHCBA press secretary Bilal Khan Khalil said that the provincial government did not respond to the lawyers’ demands. “Now the lawyers have decided to convene a convention to devise own future strategy,” he added.

Yousaf Ali, general secretary of PHCBA, told The News that prior to November 5 convention, they had called a meeting of the presidents and general secretaries of all bar associations across the province at the PHC Bar and discussed the issues confronted by the lawyers.

He said in the meeting held on October 20, the lawyers’ leaders pointed out key issues, including security threats, target-killings, and Shuhada Package for the lawyers. The KP Bar Council had also held a meeting after the attacks on the district courts in Quetta and Mardan. They had asked the government to accept the lawyers’ demands or else they would start province-wide protests against the government.