KARACHI: Members of the joint action committee for human rights (JAC) Karachi on Tuesday expressed deep sorrow and grief over the brutal murder of prominent human rights activist Lala Latif Afridi.

In a statement, the JAC highly condemned the murder. The JAC lauded the services of the late Afridi. He was a voice for democracy and human rights and always challenged the dictatorship. His brutal murder is an irreparable loss to civil society. He was elected president of the SCBA in 2020. Afridi also served as the president of the Peshawar High Court Bar Association five times.

He also served as a member of the national assembly between 1997 and 1999. He was the first provincial president of the ANP from 1986 to 1989 and was also the ANP General Secretary from 2005 to 2007. He was the founding member of the National Democratic Movement (NDM).

We express our condemnation of his brutal murder and are deeply aggrieved at the loss of an eminent jurist and activist of Pakistan. Moments before he was killed, Lala Latif had warned the Taliban’s supporters and facilitators that they will be responsible for plunging Pakistan into chaos if they did not work wholeheartedly towards ending war and conflict in the region.

Karachi JAC wows to follow in his footsteps and will keep on fighting extremism and consolidate our democratic institutions. The government should take notice of the law and order situation and threats of extortion to common citizens. HEC reiterates its firm commitment and obligation towards maintaining academic standards, merit, and equity across the board.