Covid-19: Entry in Court Room No 3 to be through special passes, says SC

ISLAMABAD: Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday announced that due to 'second wave' of the coronavirus, the entry in the Court Room No 3, where review petitions against the Presidential Reference against Justice Qazi Faez will be heard, through special passes.

The statement issued by the PRO Supreme Court, however, said the advocates and journalists who regularly come for Supreme Court proceedings would be exempted from passes in the premises for hearing of review petitions against Presidential Reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa on Monday (November 16).

A six-judge bench, headed by Justice Umar Ata Bandial will hear review petitions against the Presidential Reference from November 16. The three judges - Justice Maqbool Baqir, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, and Justice Yahya Afridi - are not part of the bench as they wrote dissenting notes, while Justice Faisal Arab has retired on November 5 after attaining the age of superannuation.

A 10-judge bench on 19-06-2020 through a Short Order unanimously quashed the presidential reference and abated the proceeding before the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) against Justice Qazi Faez Isa. The apex court has been issuing circulars, guidelines and advisories from time to time for staff, lawyers, litigants and security personnel in court offices all over Pakistan.

In view of the second wave of Covid-19 and to avoid spread of coronavirus, preventive measures has been taken in the vicinity of SC building, which include; only lawyers and those litigants who are pleading in person or persons summoned by the Court or issued notices by the Court may attend the Court.

All other persons/ potential visitors are advised to avoid visiting this Court and may collect information through phone from Supreme Court helpline (1818). Cover mouth and nose with a mask. Cover mouth and nose with a tissue or sleeve (not hands), when coughing or sneezing.

Wearing of face mask and getting checked for fever/ temperature is mandatory for all the persons on entering in the premises of this Court's Building at Islamabad and Branch Registries at Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020