Judicial complexes: Political agents told to submit location list in two weeks

List to include estimated cost of land for structures

SHABQADAR: As part of the reforms process to extend judicial jurisdiction to the tribal areas, the Secretariat asked political agents in all seven tribal agencies to identify suitable places to build judicial complexes and other associated structures.

The Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) Secretariat has asked the political agents to submit the suggested locations for the complexes, lockups, barrooms, police stations, and police lines with the tentative cost of the land required.

In a letter on “establishment of judicial complex in Fata” written to all political agents of the seven tribal agencies, a copy of which is available to The Express Tribune, the Fata secretariat said that during a high-level meeting chaired by Fata additional chief secretary on January 16, 2018, it had been decided that political agents would identify sites for setting up judicial complex in their respective agencies.

The letter further stated that under Fata reforms, a number of new facilities will be built over the course of the next decade in the agency headquarters and at the tehsil headquarters level.

The letter, which was written on February 2, 2018, directed the concerned official to submit a complete report with land acquisition and cost within two weeks of the letter.

Meanwhile, a report submitted by the Peshawar High Court to the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government for the establishment of a judicial complex and for appointing judicial staff and other requirements, have suggested that around 100 acres of land will be required to set up judicial complexes in all seven tribal agencies and 42 tehsil headquarters of these agencies.

The court, in estimates submitted to the K-P government; suggests that these 49 complexes will cost around 4.34 billion. The report further suggests that as many 845 judicial staff will need to be hired for the session and civil courts in these areas, including seven district and sessions judges, 14 additional sessions judges, seven senior civil judges and 24 civil judges.

The document suggests that salaries for these staffers will set the government back by Rs391.76 million per annum.

After the extension of the high court’s jurisdiction to Fata, cases will be heard by a circuit bench of the Peshawar High Court.

For this purpose, 20 more new judges will be appointed in the Peshawar High Court to facilitate speedy justice to 5 million residents of Fata. 

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2018.