Karachi/Quetta/Lahore: Lawyers across the country are observing Tuesday as ‘Black Day’ to mark tragic incident of May 12 (2007) when riots in Karachi left over 50 people dead and hundreds injured.
May 12 incident was series of violent clashes between rival political activists in Karachi. The unrest began as former Chief Justice, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, arrived at the Jinnah International Airport on 12 May 2007.
Gunfights and clashes erupted across the provincial capital as supporters and opponents of the judge, belonging to different political parties, took to the streets against each other.
City-wide riots escalated on the day despite the fact that several roads were cordoned off and all routes to the airport were blocked to avoid clashes between groups. In the carnage, more than 50 people were killed with several hundred injured and arrested. The violence continued for several days.
On a call of Pakistan Bar Council (PBC), the legal fraternity across the country boycotted court proceedings today and went on strike in High Courts and Sessions Courts, staging protest demonstrations to mark eighth anniversary of the incident.
Reports said culprits involved in the riots are still out of clutches of the law as victims waiting for justice.
