Courts cannot clean up everyone’s mess: SC

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The Supreme Court (SC) has directed the Attorney General (AG) to inform Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif about the delay in the publication of error free law books, their translation in regional languages, and that the amended laws are yet to be uploaded online.

The court has given a deadline of 24 hours to the federal and provincial governments to complete these matters besides summoning a list of the officers that are responsible for the delay.

“We are still living in the stone age era where the federal and provincial governments have no responsibility of their own and now the courts have to do their jobs. Bangladesh, whom we have separated from us, is progressing better. Their laws are put on websites in Bengali and English. Why is the Pakistani government not fulfilling its obligation to create awareness amongst the people about its laws?” Justice Jawwad S Khawaja questioned.

“We declare the British to be tyrants but they had translated the laws enacted in 1899 into local languages and ordered that they be sold at rate of 25 paisas. The law ministry issued notification for all laws but the laws are not available with it,” he further observed.

The law secretary and provincial law secretaries told the court that the matter of the publication of books and posting them on website would be completed in 2016.

A two-member bench of SC led by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja took up the case for hearing on Tuesday.

AG Suleman Butt, Additional Attorney General Rana Waqar, law secretary Muhammad Raza Khan and other provincial law secretaries appeared in court.

“It is a matter of concern for us that we will be ranked last if any index is formed. This is not an IT job,” Justice Khawaja remarked.

The AG responded and said, “We have asked to hire the services of experts and we have talked to the law ministry in this matter. The law ministry has ideas on how these laws will be updated.  I have asked to seek assistance from NADRA laws.”

Secretary Law and Justice Commission explained that a procedure had been conceived in this connection. The matters will be finalised by 2016 and the backlog will be cleared.

To this Justice Jawwad S Khawaja remarked, “Will we remain without laws for one and a half year?” He further observed that the translated laws are not available on the website of the law and justice commission and other websites remain in the same condition. No government institution has done any work on its own.

He inquired from the AG if any action is taken against those who do not work. “This is such a country where statute book is not available.  An explanation is needed otherwise we will issue some order. The PM should also be told about it. He is busy person but he should also be told. The bar council has also done no work. Who is responsible for not keeping website of law and justice commission updated? There is no work for anyone and this job is left for the court only. People even don’t know any act with respect to terrorism and have no access to it,” he said.

The hearing of the case was adjourned till today.