Political parties, senior judges, armed forces condemn firing incidents at Justice Ijaz's house

KARACHI: The ruling and opposition parties as well as armed forces and senior judges on Sunday condemned the incidents of firing at the residence of Supreme Court judge, Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan in Model Town, Lahore.

Unidentified gunmen fired shots at the residence of the SC.

According to the details, two separate incidents of firing took place on Saturday night and Sunday morning. There were no reports of anyone receiving injuries as a result of the firing.

Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi condemned the incident and directed the authorities concerned at the federal and provincial level to bring the culprits to task at the earliest.

After the incident, Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar reached there and called Inspector General of Punjab Police Arif Nawaz Khan on the site.

The chief justice is personally monitoring the issue at the moment.

Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari condemned firing on the residence of the Supreme Court judge and demanded an independent inquiry into the incident.

“Intimidation of judges is an unpardonable act and those involved directly and indirectly in the firing incidents on the residence of Justice Ijazul Ahsan should not go scot-free and deserve exemplary punishment,” he said in a statement.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that the PPP stood for protection and respect of judges.

Justice Ijaz was one of the judges who announced the verdict of disqualification of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in Panama Leaks case.

Read More: Shots fired at Justice Ijazul Ahsan’s Lahore residence

PTI Chairman Imran Khan said: “(I) Strongly condemn the firing at Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan’s house. These Sicilian-mafia-like tactics to pressurise senior judiciary are unacceptable in any democracy. PTI stands firmly behind the Judiciary & rule of law & this is one reason behind our (upcoming) 29th April Minar-i-Pakistan jalsa.”

Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, condemning the incident, demanded that the government should probe it and bring the culprits to justice. He termed the attack on the apex court judge’s residence an attack on the country’s security.

Opposition leader Syed Khursheed Shah said a complete investigation should be carried out into the attack and demanded of the government to take foolproof security measures for judges’ security.

Ameer Jamaat e Islami (JI) Pakistan Siraj ul Haq while deploring the attack said no tactics aimed to pressurise or frighten the judiciary would succeed.

Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leaders Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi in a statement called for a judicial probe into the matter.

Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani, MQM-P leader Farooq Sattar, All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) chief retired Gen Pervez Musharraf, and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri also condemned the incident.

Media wing of the armed forces, Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) condemned the incident and said the relevant stakeholders should ensure protection of state institutions.

“Struggle for peace and stability should continue,” it said.

Chief justice appeals all bar councils to call off strike

All the bar councils across Pakistan have given strike call for Monday to protest against the firing incidents.

However, the chief justice of top court has appealed to all the bar councils to call off their strike scheduled for Monday.

Saqib Nisar has requested the legal fraternity to attend the courts tomorrow for the sake of dispensation of justice to litigants whose cases were already fixed for hearing on Monday in different courts.