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any notice.
2.2 Sindh High Court (SHC)
There was a meeting between Sindh High Court Bar Association offcials led by its
President, Abrar Hasan, and Preedy/Saddar police officials led by Jam Zafarullah Dharejo on
May 10 th in the Sindh High Court Conference Room to discuss security arrangements for May
12 th . Among other measures, it was decided that only inner and outer gates at Passport Office
side would be used for entry and exit. Accordingly, police had blocked the roads leading to
and around the Sindh High Court to prevent access.
However, according to eyewitnesses, the Sindh High Court was literally taken over by
about 2,500 MQM armed activists. 45 Some of the High Court judges had to leave their official
cars and make their way through intimidating activists and climb over the court’s back wall in
order to reach their chambers. Some lawyers, attempting to enter the building, were
reportedly verbally and physically abused. At about 09:00am, CJ Sindh High Court arrived in
his car. According to eyewitness reports, alleged MQM workers gathered around his car,
restricted his movement towards the High Court and started hitting his car. However,
lawyers interfered and thus he managed to enter the building.
The 300-plus lawyers who had managed to reach the High Court premises implored
the CJ to provide protection from the menacing crowd. Accordingly, he summoned the IG
Sindh and Home Secretary. One report said that the Corps Commander and DG Rangers were
also summoned, but declined to appear on account of the security situation 46 . Only the IG
Sindh and Home Secretary came, but claimed they were unable to do anything. At noon,
according to an eyewitness, the provincial Minster of Transport telephoned the President of
the SHCBA and said that the CJ should go back because their lives could be in danger from
the protesting crowds. There is a slight gap in reporting between the afternoon and the lifting
of the blockade; therefore, it is not known how some of the lawyers left the SHC. The
blockade of the SHC was finally lifted at 8.00 pm when lawyers and others CJ supporters were
allowed to enter the Court compound. 47
Mohammed Tahir Naveed, Town Police Officer (TPO) Saddar, in his deposition
before the Sindh High Court 48 confirmed the decisions reached at the above meeting, denied
that “the entire High Court premises was surrounded by a mob”, but also admitted that
“Unfortunately, some miscreants managed to reach the controlled entry point and accosted
bona fide users of the Sindh High Court. As a result some advocates and members of the staff,
faced uncalled for inconvenience which is regretted.”
2.3 Malir District Court
HRCP
According to eyewitnesses, 49 roads to the Malir District Court were blocked from 7
am onwards. Some lawyers had to walk there, as rickshaws were not taking people to the
area. Many of them did not wear the black jacket to avoid harassment. One female lawyer
reportedly did not wear her uniform and instead wore an off-white suit and hijab so that no
one would harass her on the way to the Malir District Court. Some lawyers were stopped by
45
Dawn 12 May (d).
46
The News, May 15; Express, May 16 (c); Jang, May 16 (c).
47
FF1.
48
A62
49
FF7, FF15, FF16, FF17.
12