Prominent Pakistani lawyer murdered in Peshawar High Court bar room firing

Peshawar: A prominent Pakistani lawyer was murdered on Monday under dramatic circumstances after another lawyer opened fire at him in the bar room of the Peshawar High Court.

Abdul Latif Afridi, 79, was the former President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, and a key figure at the forefront of the lawyers’ movement in Pakistan that culminated in the restoration of former Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry.

On Monday, Afridi was seated in the bar room at the Peshawar High Court, when Adnan, a trainee lawyer, opened fire at him, police said.

The senior lawyer was immediately shifted to the Lady Reading Hospital here, but he was pronounced dead on arrival, hospital spokesperson Muhammad Asim said.

Six bullets were fired at Afridi, Asim said.

Police have arrested Adnan. He was shifted to the anti-terrorism court here under tight security.

Police suspected the attack was carried out of “personal enmity”. They are also probing how Adnan managed to bring a pistol inside the Peshawar High Court premises.

In 1979, Afridi was imprisoned by former Pakistan President General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq for participating in political activities against his regime’s martial law.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif expressed ”deep sorrow” over Afridi’s murder.

“I pray that the bereaved family bear this loss with fortitude. The worsening law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is alarming,” Prime Minister Sharif said in a tweet.

Peshawar Bar Association President Ali Zaman has announced a two-day boycott of courts across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province to protest Afridi’s murder.