Hearings of high-profile cases postponed as Karachi lawyers strike against Mardan court blast

Hearings of cases involving Dr Asim Hussain, Anees Qaimkhani, Rauf Siddique and Ayyan Ali have been postponed on Monday as lawyers are observing strike in different courts of the metropolis against blast in District Court in Mardan on Friday that claimed 14 lives and injured over 30.

No legal proceedings will be taking place today in Sindh High Court, City Court and Malir Court among others. Reportedly, lawyers will lead a rally in the city later today.

Among hundreds of cases were petitions of Ayyan Ali, indicted in currency smuggling case, Dr Asim Hussain in a terror case and those of Pak Sarzameen Party’s Anees Qaimkhani and Muttahida Qaumi Movement’s Rauf Siddique that were postponed.

Asim Hussain, Anees Qaimkhani and Rauf Siddique had filed bail petitions that were to be heard by different courts today.

While, hearing of supermodel, Ayyan Ali’s contempt of court plea was to be conducted against inclusion of her name in Exit Control List by Interior Ministry.

The strike was called to be observed by Pakistan Bar Council.

Meanwhile, lawyers in Hyderabad are also observing strike and have stated that the community is being targeted out of a pre-meditated strategy against which national institutions should unite while the government should take action.

Mardan blast came a day after chief of Pakistan Army’s public relations wing, Lt General Asim Saleem Bajwa expressed satisfaction over success of a number of combing operations and Operation Zarb-e-Azb in tribal areas in Waziristan.

He briefed the press in at least a two-hour long meeting over progress made by the personnel in different operations across the country against organised terror outfits.

However, Chief of Army Staff, General Raheel Sharif paid a visit to Mardan Medical Complex and inquired about conditions of the wounded. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province Chief Minister Pervez Khattak and high court’s Chief Justice accompanied General Raheel.

Separately, after a blast in Civil Hospital of Quetta on August 8 claimed over 70 lives most of whom were lawyers, strike called by Pakistan Bar Council and Supreme Court Bar Association has entered 28th day today.

No cases have been heard in nearly a month in the provincial capital of Balochistan.