On Tuesday, former federal minister Dr. Sher Afgan Niazi was attacked and reportedly “manhandled” by lawyers in Lahore. According to the Associated Press, “Trouble began when a mob of attorneys and others besieged” Niazi for several hours. Although Aitzaz Ahsan, a prominent lawyer and PPP politician, met with the former minister and appealed in vain to the crowd to disperse, “Irate protesters including black-suited lawyers jostled Niazi and tried to beat him with their hands and shoes when he emerged.” The AP added, “Police bundled the victim into an ambulance which was stoned and had its ignition key stolen, forcing over-stretched security forces to push it away from the scene.”
Following the incident, Aitzaz Ahsan, a forefront figure in the fight for the restoration of the country’s judiciary, resigned from his post as president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), telling reporters, “It is condemnable to manhandle Sher Afgan and I announce to resign from my office.” News agencies quoted him stating, “I cannot be a president of an association which harbors or leads such miscreants and such actions.” Although he said he would continue to play “whatever role is demanded of me” in the lawyers’ movement, he would ignore the pleas of colleagues not to resign. The Minister for Information and Broadcasting Sherry Rehman further deplored the attack, telling the APP, “I am disappointed over this tragic incident that has also hurt the sentiments of the people throughout the country.”
This incident, already widely publicized in Pakistan, could hold significant ramifications for perceptions of the lawyers’ movement to restore the country’s judiciary. I am attaching the news clip of the attack below:
Well, typically I would make a lawyer joke here so I will go ahead and do that. Basically, what you have is one of the most vilified professionals in the world (lawyers) attacking the next most vilified professional in the world (politician). The only question I have is…why is no one hitting the lawyers? Joking aside…(seriously, someone please attack the layers with shoes!) I think that Aitzaz Ahsan is making a principled decision. He decided that he no longer wants to associate himself with miscreants who exercise deplorable behavior…earth to Mr. Ahasan…you are a lawyer! You represent lawyers! I mean, why has this incident awakened you to the nature of the problem…oh nevermind. In all seriousness, we have to hope that a movement that claims to uphold the rule of law may want to exercise a bit more discretion and follow the laws of the country…you know…because that would serve to make them look less hypocritical.
[…] Afgan Niazi by black suited lawyers was widely covered by local and international media outlets, [see yesterday’s post]. Today, news sources reported on reactions to the attack. According to the Associated Press, […]
[…] Afgan Niazi by black suited lawyers was widely covered by local and international media outlets, [see yesterday’s post]. Today, news sources reported on reactions to the attack. According to the Associated Press, […]
Ah yes. That was the downside, I remember now. Aitzaz did the right thing.
On a side note, I wonder if the MQM’s decision to go completley ballistic came from the top, or was quasi-factional (like they say may 12th was).
Lawyers did wrong, but Sher Afghan & Co. also did wrong by blindly supporting Musharraf and his actions against Judiciary, Lal Masjid, and fight in Northern areas.