Combating coronavirus: SHC orders fumigation at all courts and jails

Sindh High Court Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheikh on Friday directed the high court administration to take precautionary measures in view of coronavirus, and ordered proper fumigation at high court premises in Karachi, its bench at Sukkur, circuit courts at Larkana and Hyderabad, and all districts courts.

He also directed the prison authorities to urgently take measures for proper fumigation, sterilisation and other necessary precautionary measures in all prisons of the province. The prisons authorities were also directed to stop unnecessary entry of public in jail premises.

The chief justice told the court staff that the windows and ventilators of the courtrooms and offices in the court premises should be kept open.

He further directed that only those persons whose attendance was required by the courts be allowed to enter the courtrooms. Meanwhile, the Sindh High Court Bar Association has sent a letter to the chief justice of the high court for spreading awareness about the World Health Organisation’s declared pandemic of the novel coronavirus.

The SHCBA president and secretary submitted that thousands of litigants, lawyers, judicial officers, court staff and other employees visited court premises, including the high court and city and district courts. They expressed the fear that such a large gathering of people may make the courts a hub for the spread of coronavirus.

They said that it was utmost important that immediate steps be taken for awareness of precautionary measures to curtail the contagious disease, which not only put the visitors of courts but also their families, especially elders, colleagues and loved ones, at risk.

They requested the court to order the checking of visitors at entry points of the high court and other court buildings by use of infrared thermometers. They said ill persons should be sent to hospital and not allowed onto court premises.

They also sought that entry of litigants unless necessary be stopped in court buildings, and fumigation be carried out in courtrooms and buildings.

Exemption for inmates

In view of the prevailing coronavirus emergency, the Sindh government will contact the superior judiciary to get a special exemption for under-trial prisoners from appearance in courts during their trials in order to protect them against the viral epidemic.

A statement issued on Friday quoted law and environment adviser Barrister Murtaza Wahab, who also acts as the spokesman for the provincial government, as saying that the government would approach the judiciary to get exemption for under-trial prisoners to this effect.

He said exemption for the under-trial prisoners would be availed for a specified period of time in view of the prevailing coronavirus health emergency.

Barrister Wahab said the meeting of Sindh cabinet the other day had also decided to limit the interaction of the prison inmates with their relatives who came to meet them in jail or at court premises during hearings.

He said that the advocate general of Sindh would contact the Sindh High Court in this regard. He said the judiciary would also be requested to limit the movement of public and litigants at the court premises in view of the viral epidemic.

Special remission

Sindh Prisons Inspector General Nusrat Hussain Mangan on Friday granted 60-day special remission to convicted prisoners languishing in prisons across the province due to coronavirus in the country.

“In exercise of the power conferred under Rule 216 of the Pakistan Prisons Rules, the undersigned is pleased to award special remission for sixty days to the convicted prisoners confined in prisons due to the prevailing situation of coronavirus in the country with the condition that convicts in question fulfils the requirements laid down in Rule 214 of the Pakistan Prison Rules, except those convicted of espionage, anti-state activities, subversion, terrorist activities, karo-kari, NAB cases and those undergoing sentences under the Foreigners Act, 1946,” said a letter

issued by the prisons IG office.

“The remission must be recorded on the history tickets of the concerned convicts. The number of convicted prisoners released and benefited should also be intimated to the Sindh prisoners inspectorate by returning fax for his official record,” the letter added.