Pat on the back: Prosecutors lauded for ‘93% success rate’

Former IGP says the prime minister, too, has appreciated the department’s performance

LAHORE: The Prosecution Department boasts a 93 per cent success rate for this year so far, Special Assistant to Chief Minister Rana Maqbool Ahmad, a former Punjab Police inspector general, said on Wednesday. “Out of a total 37,280 contested cases this year, the verdict had been passed in favour of the Prosecution Department in 34,704 cases and the suspects had been convicted and sentenced,” he said.

Ahmad was presiding over a meeting with senior public prosecutors from Lahore, Gujranwala, Kasur and Sheikhupura. Citing prosecution statistics between January 1 and May 31, the former IGP said that 418 convicts have been sentenced to death, 459 have been sentenced to life imprisonment, 140 suspects have been sentenced to more than seven years imprisonment and 15,509 convicts have been sentenced to imprisonment for less than seven years.  The participants of the meeting were informed that there had been acquittals in 2,576 cases. Ahmad said that cases disposed of on compromise, witnesses rescinding statements and cases consigned to record could not be linked with contested cases or the prosecutors’ performance.

The prosecutors from various districts discussed progress on several high-profile cases at the meeting.  Commenting on the Prosecution Department’s performance report, Ahmad congratulated the prosecutors. He said ensuring dispensation of speedy justice to the oppressed was a noble pursuit. He directed public prosecutors to work hard so that the rule of law and justice could be established in the society.  He said the government was looking to provide prosecutors the latest gadgets and equipment that could aid their work. “We have also planned specialised training sessions to enhance prosecutors’ skills.” He said Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had recently taken notice of improvement in the Public Prosecution Department’s performance and had appreciated the good work.  Ahmad said people’s confidence in the judicial system and in law enforcement agencies had grown after successful prosecution of criminals and terrorists.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 14^th, 2016.