PHC constitutes panel for establishing courts in ex-FATA

Steering committee will act as bridge for ensuring coordination among key stakeholders in merger process

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has constituted steering committee having representation of all key stakeholders for establishing regular courts at the earliest in erstwhile Fata, now merged districts of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, an official statement said on Tuesday.

The steering committee would act as a bridge for ensuring coordination amongst key stakeholders to streamline and expedite the entire process of setting up courts in the merged districts, it was notified by K-P Home and Tribal Affairs Department.

In this connection, PHC has written letters to K-P Chief Secretary and Inspector General of Police, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to nominate a focal person for the steering committee.

PHC is working on war footing to make courts functional in merged districts while being cognizant of the important justice sector in the administration of justice.

Moreover, for coping with this daunting task effectively, PHC has also finalized immediate and mid-term action plan. The steering committee is mandated for timely compliance of the plans that include recruitment, training of staff, and automation of record and infrastructure provision. Both the immediate and mid-term action plan will run parallel.

A policy decision has already been taken and makeshift courts would be established in adjourning districts to the erstwhile FATA for the time being.

The Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has sanctioned 907 posts including seven vacancies of district and session judges, 14 posts of additional district and session judges, seven senior civil judges and 24 civil judges in the newly created districts after merger of Fata with K-P.

As a first step PHC has promoted eight additional district and sessions judges to district and sessions judges (BPS-21), similarly, it has promoted 22 senior civil judges to additional district and sessions judges (BPS-20); while 29 civil judges cum judicial magistrates have been promoted to senior civil .judges (BPS-19).

According to the statement, the incumbent district and sessions judges will hire the required staff from people having local domiciles of the merged districts and strictly on merit.

PHC has also directed Pakhtunkhwa Judicial Academy to compile a compendium containing Riwaj (customs) of the newly created Districts by 31 May 2019 as understanding of old laws, customs and procedure is very important at this transition stage of establishing of courts for the first time.

It said that a crash training course of incumbent judicial officers to be posted to these districts has been devised by Judicial Academy Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and shall hopefully roll out in this week.

Whereas the successful completion of the process of the merger and mainstreaming of erstwhile Fata necessitates consultation of the elected representatives of these areas, the Competent Authority has notified the “Chief Minister Advisory Committee on the merged areas.”

The committee shall comprise all the elected MNAs and senators of the merged areas. Chief Minister Mahmood Khan will preside over the meetings of the committee while Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister will work as its secretary.

The chief minister will consult the committee on the following affairs of the merged areas, preparation of the annual development programme, preparation of the ten years development plan, important matters pertaining to the merger and mainstreaming of the areas, issues pertaining to reconstruction, rehabilitation of TDPs, matters pertaining to citizen losses compensation programme (CLCP), engaging all segments of society including elders and youth of the areas regarding their grievances and issues pertaining to the security and welfare of the people and any other matter of public importance.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 20^th, 2019.