In a unified response to recent Pak Army actions, the Pakistan Bar Council, Balochistan Bar Council, Balochistan High Court Bar Association, and local bars in Sibi, Kech, Turbat, and Quetta have announced a complete boycott of judicial proceedings across Pak-occupied-Balochistan. The move is in protest against the crackdown on the Balochistan National Committee’s Baloch Raaji Muchi rally.
The joint statement from these legal bodies strongly condemns the Army’s imposition of obstacles, the use of force against peaceful rally participants, and the associated violence, including shootings, deaths, injuries to political activists, and abuse of women and children. The statement underscores that organizing a peaceful rally is a fundamental right, and the Pak Army’s actions to suppress this right through violence and intimidation are unacceptable.
Judicial Boycott
The boycott, which took effect on July 29, Monday, saw a complete halt in judicial proceedings in various courts, including the civil court, session court, and Balochistan High Court in Quetta. Courts in Sibi, Turbat, Gwadar, and Choki were also affected, resulting in significant difficulties for litigants due to the disruption of legal services.
Munir Kakr Advocate, a member of the Supreme Judicial Commission, condemned the firing on the peaceful Baloch Raaji Muchi convoy by security forces in Mastung. Kakr called for an immediate investigation into the incident by higher authorities, asserting that the ongoing genocide of the Baloch people and the suppression of their peaceful protests reflect a broader issue of injustice. He questioned why the Army fears the Raaji Muchi rally and reaffirmed that the Baloch nation’s quest for national identity cannot be deterred by force.
Prominent lawyer Muhammad Saleem Lashari Advocate also denounced the shooting of the Raaji Muchi convoy, emphasizing that the situation represents a critical issue of Baloch survival and urging an end to the violence.