Senior Pak lawyer killed in firing in Peshawar High Court bar room
Latif Afridi, a senior lawyer and former president of the Pakistan Supreme Court Bar Association, was shot and killed on Monday inside the bar room of the Peshawar High Court (PHC), according to the police.
Immediately after the event, he was transferred to the Peshawar Lady Reading Hospital, where he passed away while receiving medical care, according to a spokeswoman for the facility.
According to Muhammad Asim, the lawyer was shot several times, reports Pakistani news agency DAWN.
In the meantime, Senior Superintendent of Police Kashif Abbassi informed Dawn.com that Afridi was being shot at while he was seated in the PHC bar room with other lawyers.
"The police have arrested the accused and identified him as Adnan Afridi," the officer said, revealing that the attacker was related to Afridi.
Abbassi added that the police thought the attack was committed out of "personal enmity."
The attacker's father – also a senior lawyer – was killed in a firing incident last year.
Latif Afridi and his family members were nominated in the case but were later released on bail, adds the report.
On the other hand, the Peshawar High Court Bar Association termed the incident a "security lapse" and questioned how a man with a weapon managed to reach the bar room.
It is pertinent to mention that the PHC bar room is located inside the premises of the high court. Tight security is regularly deployed at the entrance of the PHC and people are only allowed to enter upon showing their identity cards.