Cases of senior citizens, widows to get priority

Bar association asked the court to adopt the practice already in effect in Sindh

ISLAMABAD: The chief justice of the Islamabad High Court approved on Wednesday a notification requesting the court to give priority to cases filed by senior citizens, widows, and orphans.

While requesting the IHC to follow the example of the Sindh High Court (SHC), the bar association of the capital’s high court had requested the chief justice to give priority to cases filed by senior citizens, widows and orphans.



Muhammad Waqas Malik, the secretary general of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association, had requested IHC Chief Justice Muhammad Anwar Khan Kasi to patronise the practice and formally notify it as it would provide senior citizens, widows, and orphans with an opportunity to be heard on priority basis.

In October 2012, SHC Chief Justice Mushir Alam ordered that cases filed by senior citizens, widows and orphans must be given priority by judges across the province. “Preference shall be given to the cases of senior citizens, widows who have not remarried, and orphans.”

Malik requested the court to consider adopting the same practice at the federal capital’s courts. He had hoped that the decision would give benefit to the entire population of the capital.



He has also requested bar officials of the Lahore High Court, Peshawar High Court and the Balochistan High Court to push for the public welfare initiative at their respective courts.

In case litigants opt for fast track, Justice Alam had said that they should move an application which would be heard in court and decided accordingly.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 2^nd, 2016.