LHC rejects demand for regional benches

LAHORE

The Lahore High Court Full Court has turned down the long-lasting demand of lawyers for setting up regional benches at five districts after having lengthy deliberations for three days.

According to a press release issued by LHC on Monday, the Full Court, comprising Chief Justice and all the judges met for three days (July 15 to 17) to deliberate on the question of establishing additional benches in five division of Punjab. After extensive deliberation the full court ruled that the demand establishing of new additional benches of Lahore High Court cannot be acceded to. Punjab governor had written a letter to the LHC on March 18, 2013 and the LHC CJ has conveyed the full court decision to governor.

rallies: The Lahore High Court on Monday sought replies from the Punjab government, CCPO and others on a petition requesting to initiate contempt proceedings against officials for not strictly implementing LHC ban on protest rallies/demonstrations on the Mall Road.

Justice Sajid Mehmood Sethi directed the respondents to file their replies till August 1. The petition was moved on behalf of the Mall Road Traders Association. Petitioner counsel submitted that the provincial government by passing law had imposed a ban on taking out rallies and staging protests on the Mall Road and it was done in light of LHC order but it was not implemented.

He said the government officials had given an undertaking before the court to implement the order but it was not done so far. He said the government had failed to implement the ban causing a huge financial loss to traders of the Mall Road. He requested to initiate contempt proceedings against the respondent officials on failure to complete implementation of court order.

Judges’ security: The Lahore High Court Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah on Monday after preliminary hearing disposed of a petition seeking a direction for the Punjab government to provide a foolproof security to sitting and former judges and their family members.

Chief Justice observed that it was a matter of grave concern and he was personally watching. It would be resolved and foolproof security arrangements would be made.

A local lawyer and human rights activist Abdullah Malik filed the petition. Petitioner’s counsel submitted that it was high time to introduce a system, which must be a role model for the world for ensuring a fearless environment for the judges and their families.

He said that the judges were serving the people without fear and any society or a nation could not survive. He submitted that the recent kidnapping incident of the son of the incumbent Chief Justice of Sindh High Court was a proof that there was a bold flaw in the security plan of the High Court judges and their families.

He said the provision of security to the judges or former judges was their fundamental right as they were performing the duties on behalf of the state or had performed the duties and the state was bound to provide security to them in view of Article 9, 14 & read with Article 25 of the Constitution.

He said the Punjab government had not formed any emergency response and security unit against the vulnerable threats to precious lives of the judges and their respective families.

He said it was not included in the list of priority of the provincial government to draft emergency planning tools for the apex courts, especially to those courts which are engaged with the sensitive kind of trials like the murders, robberies, NAB References and especially terrorism cases.

He requested to direct the government authorities to provide foolproof security to judges and their families.