Balochistan lawyers call off strike after 45 days

QUETTA: Lawyers in Balochistan withdrew their strike on Monday 45 days after boycotting court proceedings.

President Balochistan High Court said that on Tuesday and Thursday lawyers will observe a strike and hold demonstrations.

The strike was called off days after the Balochistan government formed a judicial probe to investigate a suicide attack on August 8 that killed 70 people mostly lawyers.

According to the official press release, the commission will submit its report within 60 days to the Balochistan government.

The judicial commission will be headed by Balochistan High Court’s judge Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhel.

At least 70 people were killed and as many as 112 people injured when a powerful explosion ripped through Quetta’s Civil Hospital on August 8. 

At around 8:40 AM President of the Balochistan Bar Association (BBA) Bilal Anwar Kasi was gunned down on Mano Jan Road as he made his way to work. He was rushed to Civil Hospital Quetta.

After the incident was reported on electronic media, members of the legal fraternity started gathering at the hospital. It was then that the suicide bomber detonated his explosives.

An Aaj News cameraman was killed in the attack while a Dawn News cameraman was severely injured and later succumbed to his wounds.

In the aftermath, three different groups claimed responsibility of this tragic attack; Jamat-ul-Ahrar, a splinter group of banned Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Hakimullah Mehsud group, and Daesh.