LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) remarked that Urdu had been declared as the language of subordinate courts since 2015 but the same has not been implemented in Punjab till now.
The court said the Supreme Court on September 8, 2015, had directed the government to implement Urdu as an official language but unfortunately no significant steps have been taken and up-till now evidence is being recorded in English in sessions courts.
The court directed all the sessions’ judges, additional sessions’ judges, as well as, judges of special courts to ensure translation of the evidence of a witness recorded in English into Urdu simultaneously.
The court passed this order in murder reference of Irfan alias Pomi after noting that the translation of the prosecution evidence and the statements of the accused have been made by the reader of the court after recording the whole evidence.
The court said that law is very much clear on the point that the evidence should be taken down in the language of witnesses by the magistrate or judge himself or be recorded in his presence, hearing and superintendence.
However, the translation of the evidence of a witness recorded in English should be translated into Urdu simultaneously at the same sitting, as well as, in the presence of witnesses, accused and the presiding officer, the court added.
The court said this is necessary as if any ambiguity in the evidence recorded in English comes on the surface, the same can be removed in the light of translation of evidence in Urdu.
The court said normally the witnesses during the trial depose in Urdu and the presiding officer, while transcribing the same in English, dictates to his stenographer and hence Urdu transcript of such deposition is not prepared.
The court said this practice diminishes the very purpose of preparing and keeping Urdu translation of evidence recorded by the presiding officer in English.
The court; therefore, directed the registrar to send copies of this judgment to all the sessions judges and judges of special courts, as well as, the secretary, ministry of law and justice Islamabad and the secretary ministry of law and parliamentary affairs Punjab for compliance.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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