- CJP calls for effective monitoring of terrorism-related cases, review of Anti-Terrorism Law
- Only 10 to 15 per cent pending anti-terrorism cases pertain to bomb blasts, militancy-related terrorism
While chairing a meeting held in the Supreme Court to deliberate upon early disposal of terrorism cases pending in the counter-terrorism courts, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Nasirul Mulk Wednesday decided that trial of militancy-related terrorism cases will be given priority and heard on day-to-day basis as provided under the Anti-Terrorism Act.
At the onset of the meeting attended by chief justices of all high courts and caretaker judges of counter-terrorism courts, the CJP condemned the Peshawar incident, dubbing it as a national tragedy.
Pending cases of terrorism were reviewed in the meeting and various recommendations were considered for their early disposal.
Addressing the meeting, the CJP said that on perusal of the reports received from the high courts/anti-terrorism courts, it was observed that only 10 to 15 percent of the terrorism cases pertained to bomb blasts or militancy-related terrorism by the proscribed organisations whereas rest of the cases were being tried in those courts as they technically fall within the definition of ‘terrorism’.
During the meeting, the anti-terrorism court judges were directed to bind the witnesses, investigation/prosecution agencies and defence counsel for a particular date so that the cases are tried on day-to-day basis.
The CJP said that a monitoring mechanism vis-à-vis the working of the anti-terrorism courts is in place. One judge of each high court is nominated as a monitoring judge of the anti-terrorism courts working under its supervision whereas four judges of the Supreme Court have been nominated for the four provinces to supervise the monitoring exercise being conducted in high courts.
“The monitoring judges of the high courts shall hold meeting once a month, which will be attended by all the stakeholders, including the presiding officers of the anti-terrorism courts, representatives of the investigation/ prosecution agencies, jail authorities and home departments, so as to sort out the bottlenecks at that level. The reports of the monthly meetings shall be forwarded to the judges of the Supreme Court supervising the respective high courts,” CJP Mulk said.
Moreover, the CJP said that the provincial governments shall take steps to reallocate the premises of the anti-terrorism courts in consultation with the chief justice of the concerned high court to facilitate their smooth functioning.
As regards the anti-terrorism appeals pending in the high courts and the Supreme Court, the courts offices shall bifurcate them as militancy-related cases and others so that the former category cases are heard on priority basis, the CJP said, adding that the chief justices shall ensure that the exercise of bifurcation of the cases is done at the earliest in their respective courts.
Furthermore, as regards the province of Balochistan and the Malakand Division, where Frontier Corps/Levies/Revenue officials are entrusted with the registration of FIRs and investigation of cases, the concerned government functionaries shall ensure that that police officers trained for registration/investigation of cases are immediately inducted by requisitioning their services from the police departments.
“The Law & Justice Commission of Pakistan Secretariat will be tasked to review the Anti-Terrorism Law. Thereafter, steps shall be taken to forward the same to the concerned quarters for further action expeditiously. Reports on the above measures will be forwarded to the monitoring judges of the Supreme Court as well as the chief justice of Pakistan so that follow up meetings are held on regular basis,” the CJP said.