LHC to hear only urgent cases from 24th

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court has decided to hear only urgent cases from the next working day (March 24) till further decision as a precautionary measure to avoid the spread of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Administration Committee headed by Chief Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan took the decision in light of the prevailing situation due to the virus. The committee resolved that judges at principal seat and all regional benches will hear urgent cases including post-arrest bail, habeas and detention or any other matter of genuine urgency with the orders of the chief justice.

Chief Justice Khan also constituted a crisis management committee to liaison with authorities concerned for devising mechanism to safeguard general public, litigants, lawyers, etc from the spread of the virus in the high court and district judiciary and to ensure implementation of directions issued by the National Judicial Policy Making Committee.

Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti has been nominated as focal person of the committee while its members are Justice Atir Mahmood, Justice Asjad Javed Ghural and the district & sessions judge Lahore. The Crisis Management Committee will hold its first meeting on March 24 under the chairmanship of Chief Justice Khan with the attendance of the provincial chief secretary and other government authorities.

Meanwhile, LHC spokesman Arif Dar denied some media reports and maintained that no employee of the court has been detected positive for coronavirus. He said there is a staff member who himself went to laboratory with complaint of flue. However, he said, his report came negative. The Rescue 1122 staff has disinfected LHC premises.