The murder of a lawyer who was also a Pashtoon nationalist politician

It is quite sad that former Supreme Court Bar Association president Latif Afridi was shot dead inside the bar room of Peshawar High Court in the metropolis of KPK province, Peshawar, yesterday.

His “assassin”, who has been identified by police as “Adnan Afridi” and a relative of the dead senior lawyer, appears to have decided to attack and kill him inside the court’s premises which were crowded by litigants and lawyers alike.

Witnesses, it is said, were shocked at the sheer audacity of the plan, so to speak. This incident, in my view, presents a sardonic comment on the deteriorating law and order situation that has been obtaining in KPK for the last many months, if not years.

It is about time the provincial government pulled its socks up. In the event of likely dissolution of KPK assembly in a matter of days, the upcoming caretaker setup in province would be required to show no complacency towards any and every issue that is related to law and order situation in this province.

No doubt the situation is too complex and therefore underscores the need for taking some creative solutions. Be that as it may, the prime minister and others have expressed shock at the assassination of this lawyer who is widely known as a Pashtoon nationalist politician. He is also revered for his dexterity in the matters relating to law and constitutionalism.

Subhan Achakzai (Quetta)

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023