Courts vulnerable to terror, lawyers say

ISLAMABAD: Lawyers of Islamabad Districts Court expressed concerns over the security arrangements in the court premises.

The district courts are located in the commercial centre of Sector F-8, which also includes important offices, like the Auqaf Directorate. Furthermore, Hamdard University and commercial plazas like Babar Centre are also located there, making it the most congested area of the sector.

Representatives of the Islamabad District Bar Association said that they had been receiving threatening telephone calls from unknown persons warning them to be careful in their movements around the courts.

“We have even requested the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Police to provide district courts with proper security,” said Syed Wajid Ali Gilani, President IDBA.

Expressing his dissatisfaction over the current arrangements and vulnerability of the court premises, he said, “Currently, not even a single policeman is deployed around the courts.”

He said that Islamabad High Court will also open soon, which would aggravate the security situation.

Gilani said the threats being received were not bogus and a low intensity blast, which took place in the courts recently, did point towards the susceptibility of the area.

“Anyone can take lawyers hostage and abduct them at gunpoint,” he said.

Moreover, Muhammad Naeem Shah, a lawyer working at the courts, said, “It is the responsibility of the police to provide us with security, but so far they have not done anything about the situation.”

Similarly, Ameer Ahmed, a shopkeeper at the courts said, “Visitors always complain about the security arrangements at the courts.

“They view it as a security hazard, as it remains crowded throughout the day with no police cover.”

However, the Deputy Commissioner of Islamabad said that the police was aware of the security issue faced by the courts.

“The police will make arrangement for better security, but the lawyers need to cooperate with us over the matter.”

“Earlier, they stopped the ICT Police from erecting fences around the courts. It should be joint effort and we are more than willing to play our part,” he said.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 11^th, 2010.