- Islamabad is divided into two territorial jurisdictions of East and West for administrative purposes
- Construction of a new building to house District Courts (East) underway
Islamabad Capital Territory has been divided into two territorial jurisdictions of District Courts (East) and District Courts (West) for judicial purposes. Each division is headed by a district and sessions judge and a senior civil judge. While, a number of additional district and sessions judge, civil judge-cum-judicial magistrates work under their supervision to adjudicate both civil and criminal matters.
At present both divisions of district courts are located in F-8 Markaz.
The government plans to relocate District Courts (West) to the building that presently houses IHC in sector G-10/1. As in the middle of next year the new building of Islamabad High Court, currently under construction in Sector G-5, red zone, will be completed at a cost of 2.6 billion rupees over an area of 5 acres.
Pakistan Today has reliably learned that the District Courts (East) will be moved to a new building that is yet to be constructed. Ministry of Law and Justice have earmarked funds of 190 million rupees for the land acquisition of 4.17 acre in Sector G-11/4, Islamabad: a sector adjacent to IHC where District Courts (West) will be moved from F-8 kecheri.
A source at Ministry of Law and Justice, on anonymity, confided in the scribe that the construction of District Courts (East) in the territorial jurisdiction of District Courts (West) will raise administrative issues if in future Islamabad Capital Territory is divided into two separate districts. “In future, if Islamabad Capital Territory is to be divided into two separate administrative divisions like Karachi and Lahore, both districts will have their own district administration, own territorial jurisdiction and then the presence of District Courts (East) in territorial jurisdiction of District Courts (West) will not only cause inconvenience but also nuisance to many litigants,’ he said.
For judicial purposes, as a rule of thumb, all CDA sectors and areas adjacent come under the territorial jurisdiction of District Courts (West), while rural areas of ICT and adjacent areas come under the territorial jurisdiction of District Courts (East).
Islamabad is presently expanding on both its east and west side, as new sectors, towns, and localities are coming to life.
When contacted, Ch Faizan, a lawyer practising at Islamabad District Courts, said that it would be best if both branches of the district courts are constructed in one judicial complex.
“Both the lawyers and the litigants will benefit greatly if both courts are located at one place. It would be extremely hard if not altogether impossible for the lawyers to pursue multiple cases in the courts that are located far from each other,” he said.