Public plea: District courts need more judges

Litigants complain of cases being delayed, seek appointment of three judges.

ISLAMABAD:

Residents have expressed concern over absence of judges in the Islamabad District Courts (IDC).

Thousands of litigants, from rural and urban areas of the capital city, complained that their cases are being delayed due to absence of two additional district and session judges and a senior civil judge at the Islamabad District Courts. Two of these judges were reportedly transferred during May and no appointments have been made to replace the three judges.

As per sources, there were three additional district and session judges appointed at the Islamabad District Courts, out of which two Additional District and Session Judges Muhammad Akmal Khan and Tanvir Mir, appointed in June and July 2009 respectively, were transferred on May 25 and May 12. Senior Civil Judge Muhammad Aslam Gondal, who was appointed in January 2011, was transferred on June 2.

Currently there is one District and Session Judge Uzma Chughtai, one Additional District and Session Judge Rafat Sultan Shiekh and three Judicial Magistrates Kashif Qayyum, Malik Naeem Shaukat
and Rai Liaqat Kharal performing their duties in the district court.

A reader on condition of anonymity said that since the transfers of two additional district and session judges, burden on the Justice Sheikh has increased. “How is it possible for a judge to hear thousand of cases,” he said.

Saleema Niaz, a litigant from Bara Kahu seeking divorce from her husband said, “My case has been pending for the past one year and due to absence of the judges my case has been delayed further.”

Another litigant, Amanullah Hussain, said his land dispute case is pending since the last three years and claimed that no progress has been made in his case since last two month due to absence of Judge Tanvir Mir.

Deputy Attorney General of IHC Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri and former Deputy Attorney General Supreme Court Shah Khawar have urged the government to prioritise appointment of new judges in the district courts.

Earlier, Chief Commissioner Tariq Mehmood Pirzada divided the capital territory into two session divisions, east and west, to facilitate litigants.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 10^th, 2011.