Islamabad: Latif Afridi, an advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and a prominent champion of human rights, was shot dead on Monday leaving the legal fraternity and civil society in shock.
A former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA), he was lovingly known by friends and colleagues as Lala Latif Afridi.
The octagenarian lawyer was sitting in the Peshawar High Court (PHC) Bar room when a gunman appeared at the scene and fired six shots at him.
The senior lawyer was rushed to the Lady Reading Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Later, while speaking to the media, SSP Operations Kashif Abbasi confirmed that the accused Adnan Afridi was taken into custody from the crime scene.
Security breach
The Peshawar High Court Bar Association has termed the incident a “security lapse” and questioned how a man with a weapon managed to reach the bar room which is located inside the PHC building.
SSP Abbasi also said the police are investigating how the gunman managed to get inside the high court premises despite security check at the entrance gate.
A blood feud?
The official further said the killing seemed to be the result of a blood feud between two families. Further investigation is underway.
Latif was acquitted in a murder case of Swat Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) Judge Aftab Afridi and his three family members a few weeks ago.
He was booked along with nine others in the case of the assassination of a judge, Aftab Afridi, his wife, a one-and-half-year grandson and daughter-in-law when they were going to Islamabad from Peshawar in April, 2021.
The judge Aftab Afridi was a cousin of the accused Adnan Afridi.
However, Latif Afridi had denied his involvement in the incident and said that he and his son had been falsely implicated in the case.
PM, others condole
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, in his condolence message, expressed deep sorrow and grief over the jurist’s murder in Peshawar.
“I am deeply saddened to learn about the brutal murder of the senior lawyer and former president of the SCBA Abdul Latif Afridi in Peshawar. The worsening law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is alarming, the provincial government should immediately take steps to improve it,” he said in a tweet.
Former President Asif Ali Zardari, his son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in a condolence message also expressed heart-felt condolences on the death of the senior lawyer. Afridi always raised his voice against forces of extremism and terrorism, they said.
A question mark on security in KP
Federal Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar, also condemned the murder, and questioned the law and order situation in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province where Imran Khan’s party is in power.
National Assembly Speaker and Deputy Speaker, lawyers’ representatives, HR activists, civil society and media also condemned the murder and called for exemplary punishment to the killer.
