Bar, bench integral part of justice system

MINGORA: Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Musarrat Hilali said on Saturday that the bar and bench were integral parts, who had always struggled for strengthening the justice system.Speaking at the oath-taking ceremony of the Bar Association, Mingora Circuit Bench of the Peshawar High Court, PHC CJ said that had visited the prisons where the inmates heaped complaints about the non-availability of lawyers.

She asked the lawyers to ensure their presence on the date of hearing of their cases to facilitate the prisoners and the courts and save the precious time of the two as well.She added that the duty hours of the courts had been increased on the demand of lawyers to ensure disposal of inexpensive justice to the litigantsThe CJ said that the judges were independent and the bar and bench should make joint efforts to provide easy and transparent justice to the people.

“We are not in favour of divorce or khula and the judges had been asked to unite families instead of break the families,” the PHC CJ said, adding that they felt happiness when families were united in cases of divorce or khula. She said that judges and lawyers should treat litigants politely and create a people-friendly environment in the courts so the people could not feel hesitation while visiting the courts for their rights.

Chief Justice Musarrat Hilali also warned that torture cells at the police stations would not be tolerated, saying that police were arresting innocent people in narcotics cases in a bid to show performance.She also said that the sessions judge would be held responsible if corruption committed in any district of the province and the Inspector General of Police would be responsible if an innocent person was implicated in fake cases or the case property (vehicle) was misused.

The CJ said that accused were being tortured in the police stations during remand and if the torture culture did not end at the police stations, the IGP would be asked for it.

Meanwhile, the CJ also held meetings with different district and tehsil bar associations of Malakand Division, noted their grievances and assured that these would be considered on priority basis.

The newly elected president of the Swat Bar Association requested for the construction of a barroom, library and consultation rooms for the female lawyers’ on the rooftop of double story car parking.