Capital courts get six new judges

Keeping in view the troubles being faced by litigants, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) have issued notices for the appointment of six new judges in the lower courts of the capital city. However, sources in the lower courts said all of sudden notification did not allow them even to make proper sitting arrangements for the new judges.
According to the sources in district courts, the judges may take the charge of their seats today (Saturday). Four of the new judges include Acting Civil Judge Abdul Ghafoor and civil judges Nasarun Minallah, Muhammad Shabbir and Amir Aziz belong to Balochistan, while the remaining two civil judges Muhammad Shakeel and Rasool Bakhsh are from Sindh.
The courtrooms for the new appointees have been established in the offices which were previously used by Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) officials including chief commissioner, deputy commissioner and additional commissioners. Now, the officials of ICT have been shifted in their new building in Sector G/11. “We have not even bought new chairs for the judges, and now we will arrange the chairs from the office bearers of bar association as they had taken away some of our chairs during their functions,” said an official of the district courts, who wished not to be named.
Another official told Pakistan Today that the lower courts had been divided into two zones ‘East and West’. “Fourteen judges are currently available to deal with the cases of West Zone alone, but at least 25 judges each are required in both divisions so the appointment of six judges for East zone is a way forward to reduce the burden of cases,” he pointed out.
The official said non-availability of proper and enough space for the judges was also considered as one of the main reason in delay in appointment of the new judges. He said currently, each judge was dealing with more than 200 cases on daily basis due to which many of the cases remain unheard. He said thousands of cases were pending before the lower courts, adding that in many cases, the IHC also directed its cases to the lower court. “Now the list of East division would be sent to the new judges and they will deal with all the cases of said zone,” he said.
The new building of lower courts houses the Islamabad High Court (IHC) while the authorities concerned have yet to establish a new building for the IHC. The building of the district courts is situated in sector F/8 which is not proper place for the courts as shops are being used their as court rooms.
Lawyers’ community has also expressed their concern on delay in shifting of lower courts to the new building.
District Court Bar Association Secretary General Arbab Gujjar told Pakistan Today that the construction work on new building for IHC had not been started yet and it seemed that it would take at least four to five years in shifting of lower courts to the new building.
However, the staffers of the lower courts told this scribe that the appointment of new judges would reduce the sufferings of litigants as well as of the judges.