The Islamabad Bar Council (IBC) announced a three-day strike on Tuesday in protest against the suicide blast that struck a local court earlier in the day, the private media channel reported.
In a statement, the IBC said lawyers would boycott court proceedings from November 12 to 14.
The council condemned the terrorist attack, calling it a cowardly assault on the judiciary. It expressed deep sorrow over the loss of precious lives and extended condolences to the families of those martyred, while praying for the speedy recovery of the injured.
The IBC also urged authorities to bring the attackers and their facilitators to justice and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the independence of the judiciary and the legal community. A general house meeting will be convened soon, the body added.
Earlier in the day, at least 12 people were martyred and 21 others injured in a suicide bombing near the Islamabad Kacheri.
Police said a car caught fire after the explosion, which destroyed several nearby vehicles and motorcycles. Security forces and rescue teams quickly reached the scene, shifting the injured to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS).
Hospital officials said several victims are in critical condition, warning that the death toll may rise.
Police have cordoned off the area and launched an investigation. Sources said body parts believed to be of the suicide bomber, including the head, were recovered from the site.
IG Islamabad Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi and the Chief Commissioner visited the scene and were briefed on the ongoing investigation.
Separately, a 19-year-old man died on Wednesday from severe burn injuries sustained in an explosion caused by a gas leak in the Supreme Court cafeteria’s air-conditioning unit a day earlier.
Thirteen others were injured in the incident, which was captured on CCTV footage showing maintenance workers moments before a sudden fireball and blast.
The injured were taken to the Burn Centre at PIMS, where the victim, Asad Muneeb, later succumbed to his wounds. Witnesses said the blast caused panic as lawyers and staff rushed out of the building for safety.
