The son of Advocate Abdul Razzaq Shar, a senior lawyer in the Supreme Court, has registered a case against Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, accusing him of orchestrating his father’s killing. The incident occurred in Quetta, where Shar was shot dead in a drive-by shooting on Tuesday. According to the police, unidentified assailants armed with automatic weapons attacked Shar’s vehicle near Alamo Chowk on Airport Road while he was on his way to the Balochistan High Court. The lawyer sustained 15 bullet injuries and died at the scene. Following the incident, lawyers’ bodies boycotted court proceedings across the province and declared three days of mourning.
The government and the PTI engaged in a blame game, with each side accusing the other of involvement in the murder. Attaullah Tarar, an aide to the prime minister, alleged that Imran Khan was behind the killing to evade accountability in a treason case. In response, PTI spokesperson Raoof Hassan accused Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah of being responsible for the murder. It is noteworthy that Abdul Razzaq Shar had previously filed a constitutional petition against Imran Khan in the Balochistan High Court, seeking legal action against the PTI chief under Article 6 for high treason. The petition was based on the court’s recommendation to take action against Imran Khan and Qasim Suri for dissolving the National Assembly unlawfully after a no-confidence motion was filed against the PTI government in April 2022.
The case was registered by Shar’s son, Advocate Siraj Ahmed, at Quetta’s Shaheed Jamil police station. The First Information Report (FIR) invokes sections of the Pakistan Penal Code related to intentional murder, abetment, and acts done in furtherance of a common intention, along with sections of the Anti-Terrorism Act. According to the FIR, Ahmed received information on June 6 that his father had been taken to Civil Hospital after being shot. Upon arrival at the hospital, he found his father’s lifeless body covered in blood. Ahmed firmly believes that his father’s murder is connected to the case he filed against Imran Khan and others from the PTI. He alleges that unidentified individuals on a motorcycle fired at his father while he was on his way to the court and asserts that Imran Khan was behind the assassination. The FIR also notes the injuries sustained by the deceased and the subsequent police procedures.
In response to the murder, lawyers in Balochistan continued their boycott of court proceedings for a second day. The Quetta Bar Association President, Abid Kakar, stated that the boycott would last for three days and demanded a transparent investigation into Shar’s killing. Similarly, the Balochistan High Court Bar Association condemned the government’s accusations against Imran Khan, considering them an attempt to influence the investigation. The association called for the immediate lodging of an FIR and cautioned against making careless statements. The Pakistan Bar Council announced a nationwide strike in solidarity with Shar’s family and lawyers in Balochistan, emphasizing the need for swift trials in anti-terrorism courts and civilian courts.