Says justice system under serious attack; committee set up for security
arrangements at LHC; courts to have one entry/exit point; litigants to be issued
special entry passes; chairs meeting on Punjab courts security
LAHORE: In the wake of the Quetta carnage, Lahore High Court Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah chaired a meeting on Tuesday to address the vulnerable security situation in the courts’ premises throughout Punjab observing that country is in a state of war and the justice system is under serious attack.
Lawyers and judges need to stand up together against this common but faceless enemy and jointly protect the justice system. The meeting was attended by Justice Shahid Hameed Dar, Justice Abdul Sami Khan, Justice Atir Mehmood, Registrar Lahore High Court, Punjab chief secretary, home secretary, Advocate General Punjab, Inspector General Punjab Police, Punjab Bar Council Vice Chairman Ahsan Bhoon, member Pakistan Bar Council, secretary Lahore High Court Bar Association, president District Bar Association Lahore and district and sessions judges Lahore. The meeting started with ‘Fateha’ for martyrs of the Quetta blast.
The chief justice in his opening remarks observed that justice system is under serious attack. Lawyers and judges need to stand up together against this common but faceless enemy and jointly protect the justice system.
While the Lahore High Court is making efforts to build up security for the lawyers and the litigants in the court premises, Bar and the Bench must understand that there is no time for differences between them. Our best revenge and response is to ensure that at all cost our justice system functions smoothly and efficiently. We owe this to our country and to the litigants who approach us every day. So let’s unite and strengthen the judicial system by making it functional and efficient. After the period of mourning is over, we must work hard to achieve these goals and never let the justice system slow down. Collectively we can face the enemy. Divided we fall.
A consensus was observed that the country is in a state of war and the law-enforcement agencies alone cannot fight the faceless enemy. Therefore, an internal security mechanism should be evolved by the Bar and Bench through a consultative and coordinated process.
In this regard, the chief justice constituted a committee for the security arrangements of the Lahore High Court. The committee will consist of a judge of the Lahore High Court (to be nominated by the chief justice), Registrar Lahore High Court, president and secretary of the Lahore High Court Bar Association, vice chairman/member Punjab Bar Council and SP Security (High Court).
On the same pattern, security committees shall also be constituted at the district level. The committees shall consist of district and sessions’ judge, DPO, DCO, members Punjab Bar Council, president and secretaries of districts and tehsils. These committees will meet at least once in a fortnight.
As the Punjab Bar Council is located in the vicinity of the Lahore High Court, chief justice asked the chief secretary to consider the Punjab Bar Council as a part of the Lahore High Court and to ensure adequate security.
Keeping in view the alarming law and order situation, it was agreed upon that arrangements would be made to reduce entry points to the courts premises by restricting it to one entry and one exit point. The entry of the litigants to the high court would be channelised through special entry passes. A litigant would not be allowed to bring with him more than one person.
Lawyers’ bodies would also ensure proper registration mechanism of clerks/munshis and appropriate uniform would be prescribed for them. It was further resolved that the Punjab government will take expedient measures for construction of boundary walls of all court complexes in the Punjab.
The chief secretary on behalf of the government assured that he will extend every possible support to beef up the security of lawyers, judges, their staff and litigants. In the end, all the participants of the meeting expressed their grief over the tragic accident of lawyers from Malakwal, in Chilas. The chief justice requested the chief secretary to ensure every possible support to the injured lawyers.