SC refuses to close courts amid coronavirus outbreak

Apex court assures lawyers no case will be dismissed on non-prosecution

PESHAWAR/ ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to close down courts amid the rising number of cases of the novel coronavirus in the country.

Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBA) President Syed Qalb-e-Hassan Hassan appeared before the two-judge bench led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed and prayed upon the court to suspend its proceedings for a couple of weeks.



However, the bench made it clear that closing down courts was impossible. “It hasn’t even happened in Europe,” the court remarked.

However, CJP reiterated that no case will be dismissed on non-prosecution.

CJP Gulzar asked SCBA president to convey it to the lawyers that their cases will not be dismissed on the basis of non-appearance.

Only 18 cases have been fixed before three benches in the apex court for today.

In another division bench hearing, SC judge Qazi Muhammad Amin Ahmed recused himself to hear a pre-arrest bail stating that he had been counsel in that matter in the past.

Despite his recusal, the bench granted four weeks pre-arrest bail to the accused in fear of contracting coronavirus.

SCBA and Pakistan Bar Council have sent more than half their staff on leaves owing to the coronavirus outbreak.

PHC adjourns all hearings

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has ordered to adjourn all hearings till March 28 to limit the spread of the deadly pandemic that has affected more than 850 people in the country.



Only two judges would hear important cases and a civil judge and a session judge would perform their duties in each district, PHC announced in a statement.

The PHC judges also contributed their five-day salary to coronavirus fund whereas other staff members contributed their one-day salary to the relief fund.