Former Supreme Court Bar Association president and senior lawyer Latif Afridi was slain after a shooting inside the Peshawar High Court (PHC) barroom on Monday, Pakistani national daily The Dawn reported citing a police statement.
He was taken to the Peshawar Lady Reading Hospital shortly following the incident, where he died from his injuries while receiving medical treatment, according to facility spokesperson Muhammad Asim, the report said.
Meanwhile, Senior Superintendent of Police Kashif Abbassi informed Dawn.com that Afridi was sitting in the PHC bar room with other lawyers when a shooter opened fire, as the report added.
“The police have arrested the accused and identified him as Adnan Afridi,” the officer was quoted as saying by The Dawn, adding that the attacker was connected to Afridi.
He told a Pakistani national daily that the attacker had a small weapon, an identity card, and a student card.
According to the report, Abbassi also added that the police suspected the incident was carried out due of “personal enmity”.
Aftab Afridi, an anti-terrorism judge in Swat, was slain in a shooting incident last year. Latif Afridi and his family were named in the case but were eventually cleared by a Swabi anti-terrorism court, the report said,
The Peshawar High Court Bar Association, on the other hand, called the incident a “security lapse” and questioned how a man armed with a firearm got inside the barroom, as stated in the report.
It is worth noting that the PHC bar room is located within the high court’s grounds. Tight security is constantly deployed at the PHC’s entrance, and people are only permitted to enter after producing their identity cards, as per the report.
Shehbaz Sharif, the Prime Minister, expressed deep sorrow and anguish over the “brutal killing” of the renowned lawyer.
“I pray that the bereaved family bear this loss with fortitude. The worsening law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is alarming,” the Pakistan Prime Minister said, adding that the provincial administration should take prompt action in this respect.
There was deep sorrow and grief over the brutal killing of eminent jurist and former president of the Supreme Court Bar Abdul Latif Afridi in Peshawar. I pray for patience for his family and for his elevation. The worsening law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is alarming, the provincial government should immediately take steps to improve it.
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) January 16, 2023
Former President Asif Ali Zardari condemned Afridi’s murder, saying he was a committed advocate of democracy and an outspoken opponent of extremism.
Former President Asif Ali Zardari condemned the killing of Abdul Latif Afridi
Abdul Latif Afridi was a democrat and a staunch opponent of extremism, Asif Zardari
The killing of Shaheed Abdul Latif Afridi is very sad, Asif Zardari @AAliZardari
— PPP (@MediaCellPPP) January 16, 2023
(With Inputs From Agencies)