PAKISTAN: Targeting of lawyers and cover up

A bomb exploded in Lahore, the capital city of Punjab province, on
January 10, killing more than 30 persons and injuring 70, mostly
policemen, outside the Lahore High Court building where lawyers had
planned a protest rally. On the directives of different Bar
Associations lawyers are holding their weekly protests against the
sacking of the higher judiciary through the state of emergency across
the country every Thursday. Through this Thursday’s rally the
lawyers were demonstrating their resolve to fight for the
independence of the judiciary and the rule of law. While the military
regime is trying to create the impression that it has been able to
dissolve the lawyer’s movement in fact, the lawyers are calling
their bluff. A threatened regime is trying to do its utmost to
suppress a popular movement that has risen up against it. In this
incident the attack has back fired killing many policemen and
exposing the regime. The regime is now trying to create a cover up.

The government was aware of the lawyers’ weekly rally and on
this occasion a heavy contingent of police officers, including female
officers was deployed with all the necessary riot gear and other
equipment necessary to disperse the lawyers rally. Even ambulances
and fire engines were deployed in the operation. The government is
claiming that it was a suicide bombing. However, the lawyers claim
that the bomb was planted earlier with the intention of causing death
and injury to the participants of the rally.

When the bomb exploded a rally of lawyers from the District courts
was about to reach the Lahore High Court building to join the lawyers
from the High Court who were at that time holding their protest
meeting inside the court building. The bomb blast occurred just 30
yards away from the main gate where a heavy contingent of police was
deployed. The office bearers of the different bar associations said
that it was the timing which had saved so many lawyers from death and
injury as the participants from the District courts were more than 500
yards from the High Court building. They claim that the bomb was aimed
at killing and maiming the lawyers to put a stop to their continuous
protests after the sacking of the judges on November 3, through the
state of emergency and against the continuous arrests of their
leadership and the judges. They also claim that the government is
putting the blame on a suicide attack as usual to divert attention
from its crimes.

The Asian Human Rights Commission condemns the bomb attack on the
Lahore High Court building and sympathises with the grieving families
of the police officers who suffered the brunt of the bomb blast. One
injured police head constable stated that the bomb was planted inside
a white Suzuki car which had been parked near the area where the
police were deployed. When they tried to push the car out of the way
the bomb exploded causing heavy casualties. However the police higher
ranking officers are claiming that the bomb was carried by a suicide
bomber who arrived on a motorcycle.