NJPMC directs high courts to timely dispose of cases

ISLAMABAD: The National Judicial Policy Making Committee (NJPMC) on Wednesday directed all the high courts to take necessary action for timely disposal of cases with speedy trial in order to curtail the backlog of cases.

The direction was given during a meeting of the NJPMC chaired by Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Chief Justice of Pakistan and Chairman NJPMC. On special invitation, the meeting was attended through video link by Justice Mushir Alam, and Justice Umar Ata Bandial. During the meeting, the Chief Justice of Pakistan pointed out that in order to curtail the backlog of cases, all the high courts must take necessary actions for timely disposal of cases and the respective chief justices should assure efforts to eliminate the backlog.

The committee also approved a summary to improve the living standards in jails, including health and hygiene facilities for prisoners. The committee further emphasised that tests for infectious diseases must be carried out at the time of admission of prisoners in jails and then on periodic basis. The chief justice stated that the ongoing pandemic had affected all spheres of life, however, the judiciary stood firm and took preventive measures for safeguarding judges, lawyers and litigants, etc. Moreover, during the pandemic, only important cases were being heard, keeping in view the potential health hazards faced by the judges, lawyers, litigants, and witnesses, and the majority of the cases which were decided were instituted during the period of 01.01.2020 to 30.11.2020.

The CJP also emphasised on filling the vacant posts in judiciary, including special courts, stating that efforts should be made for placing the special courts under the administrative control of the high courts. On this occasion, Justice Mushir Alam informed the committee that as per the NJPMC directions, the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP) Secretariat has prepared a PC-I for the establishment of National Judicial Automation Unit (NJAU) in consultation with all relevant stakeholders. Moreover, the Ministry of Law and Justice has assured full cooperation in finalising the PC-II and PC-I of the project.

The committee was briefed about the issues related to construction of the Islamabad Model Jail. It was also informed that the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) had already approved the PC-I for ‘Islamabad Model Jail’ in its meeting held on July 20, 2016, at the cost of Rs3.9 billion, and out of it, Rs1,442.162 million has so far been utilised.

The Ministry of Interior had communicated the decision to the federal cabinet that in case the judiciary would direct go ahead with the construction of Islamabad Model Jail, then the area covered by the existing structure (approx. 20 acres) shall be utilised for the same, otherwise the structure shall be demolished and the Islamabad Model Jail may be relocated to another site outside the city.

The Islamabad Model Jail was initially allotted as many as 90 acres of land, on the direction of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The Chief Justice desired that in order to observe the progress thereupon, he would visit the construction site along with Chief Justice, Islamabad High Court. Meanwhile, the committee was informed that on the NJPMC direction, the LJCP secretariat had arranged two phases of training in 2019 of 118 judicial officers and prosecutors and, thereafter, a total number of 193 courts throughout Pakistan had been assigned to adjudicate the GBV cases.

Moreover, as per the direction, for capacity building to enforce child justice in Pakistan, the training of 188 stakeholders, including judges and prosecutors, was coordinated at the judicial academies throughout Pakistan and currently seven child courts are operational. The committee deliberated upon the issue and resolved that as the women and juveniles are vulnerable classes of the society, therefore, the aforementioned cases must be decided within a period of two months.

The Director General, Monitoring Cell of Model Courts, briefed the committee about the performance of Model Courts, while the Chief Justice directed that the MITs of all the respective High Courts should submit a comprehensive report regarding the Model Courts within two months.

The meeting was also attended by the Members of the NJPMC, including Chief Justice of Federal Shariat Court, Justice Muhammad Noor Meskanzai, Chief Justice of Sindh High Court Justice Ahmed Ali M. Sheikh, Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court Justice Athar Minallah, Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, Chief Justice of Lahore High Court Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan and Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court Justice Qaisar Rashid Khan.