IHC asks Shahzad Akbar to brief PM on lower courts' problems

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday directed Advisor to Prime Minister on Accountability and Interior Shahzad Akbar to visits lower courts to prepare and apprised the prime minister about the problems there.

Chief Justice Athar Minallah conducted hearing on case pertaining to delay in provision of justice to public in lower judiciary.

Advisor to Prime Minister Shahzad Akbar, Advocate General Islamabad Niazullah Niazi, Deputy Attorney General Syed Tayyab Shah, Member Islamabad Bar Council Adil Aziz Qazi, office bearers of Islamabad High Court and district bar associations appeared before the court.

At the outset of hearing, the chief justice remarked that facilitating the common man in district courts has never been priority of any government, adding that judges in lower judiciary were working in very miserable environment.

Shahzad Akbar said that the Prime Minister had also been briefed about the problems in district Katchery.

Addressing him, the chief justice said that you should also visit the accountability courts as he was also an advisor on accountability.

The courts had no staff to give directions even the pressure of work and the top court had given directives to hear cases on daily basis.

The chief justice said that the judges were ready to work round the clock if the executive cooperate with them.

The chief justice directed the advisor to visit the accountability courts himself and brief the Prime Minister about the problems. No one had given attention to the condition of lower courts in last forty years.

Shahzad Akbar said that the court had observed correctly that an advisor had no executive power and he could only give advice.

Even he himself had been appearing in these courts, he said, adding that all measures would be taken to improve the condition of lower courts.

The chief justice remarked that working environment was very important for judges.

He asked the advisor to prefer the improvement of working environment of judiciary instead of setting up more courts.

The court also sought report regarding administrative control of federal judicial complex and said that there was no rule of law in 1400 square miles area of capital.

The chief justice further said that there were a lot of complaints regarding land grabbing in Islamabad, this couldn't happen without the connivance of revenue officers.

Justice Athar Minallah said that there was no system for access to early and easy justice, adding that the governance system had become corrupt.

Shahzad Akbar said that he had already visited the lower courts and briefed the Prime Minister with report.

He said that he had also told the prime minister about situation of crime ratio.

The chief justice said that the courts had shortage of staff, the culture of recommendations had destroyed everything, adding that the judges of accountability courts had even no place to sit while they had work pressure.

Lawyer Shoaib Shaheen said that no one was ready to take the responsibility of judicial complex to this the chief justice said that the accountability courts had comparatively more workload.

The chief justice said that this court expects that the Prime Minister would give attention toward judicial reforms. Civil and special courts had more workload but facing shortage of facilities, he noted.

Shahzad Akbar said that law minister was infected with coronavirus and just arrived last day, adding that he would try to visit Katchery along with him.

The court asked the federal government for early completion of the building of IHC.

President Islamabad Bar Council demanded the government to also give time frame for completion of high court lawyers complex to this Shahzad Akbar said that all priorities of bars would be viewed after the shifting of IHC to new building.

To a query by bench, Shahzad Akbar said that there was need of a legal opinion regarding establishment of a prosecution branch in Islamabad, adding that he would work on it along with law minister.

The chief justice said that there were private and commercial buildings in district Katchery but the owners were not being paid rents.

The court said that the deputy commissioner had submitted report pertaining to land grabbers which also contained some recommendations. The bench asked the advisor to also view that report.

The court adjourned hearing on the case with above instructions.