SC directs ATC judges to work for extended hours

KARACHI:

The Supreme Court's (SC) monitoring judge for the anti-terrorism courts (ATC) in Sindh, Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, has directed the judges of the ATCs to work for extended hours every day to ensure speedy trials in cases pertaining to militancy.

While presiding over a meeting to review the performance of the ATCs at the SC Karachi registry, Justice Jamali was informed that the ATCs have disposed of 173 terrorism-related cases during January and February. He expressed satisfaction over the performance during the two months and asked the ATC judges to ensure that the statement of every witness is recorded. "The monitoring judge also asked them to even work for extended hours, as the need may be, to ensure speedy trials," a judicial officer who attended the meeting told The Express Tribune on the condition of anonymity.

Sources said the judges of the ATCs expressed concern on security measures and also complained about delays in trying various cases due to absence of the investigation officers, witnesses and the relevant material.

DIG Sultan Khawaja, who has been appointed as Sindh police's focal person to coordinate with the ATCs, was directed to ensure the presence of the investigation officers on every date.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 1^st, 2015.