Balochistan Bar Bodies Announce Boycott of Courts Over Government’s Handling of Baloch Rights Rally

Quetta:The Pakistan Bar Council, Balochistan Bar Council, Balochistan High Court Bar Association, and District Bar Associations of Kech, Turbat, and Quetta have issued a joint statement condemning the government’s obstruction of the Baloch Unity Committee’s peaceful rally. The statement strongly criticizes the use of violence, firing on peaceful rally participants, injuries to political workers, arrests, and incidents of violence against women and children.

The bar bodies asserted that holding peaceful rallies is a fundamental right of the people, and the government’s actions to disrupt them through violence, blocking national highways across Balochistan, and injuring scores of political workers is unacceptable. They highlighted that numerous political workers have been injured and some have lost their lives due to firing incidents orchestrated by forces.

In protest, the Balochistan Bar bodies initiated a complete boycott of judicial proceedings on Monday, July 29th, across Balochistan. In Quetta, the Sessions Court and Balochistan High Court remained devoid of any lawyer’s presence. Similarly, a boycott was observed in all courts of Turbat and Gwadar, causing severe disruptions in judicial matters and adding to the hardships faced by litigants.

Muneer Kakar, Advocate and member of the Supreme Judicial Commission, condemned the use of force by forces against the peaceful convoy of Baloch Raji Marchi, demanding a thorough investigation into this grave incident from the higher authorities. He pointed out that the issue of genocide against the Baloch nation has been ongoing for centuries, and preventing peaceful gatherings at Mastung cannot deter the Baloch people’s resolve to assert their national identity.

Renowned legal expert Muhammad Salim Lashari, Advocate, emphasized that the survival of the Baloch is at stake, denouncing the intense firing on the convoy at Mastung by forces stationed there.