District courts reopen-but only for ‘urgent’ cases

RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi district courts reopened on Tuesday after suspension due to the threat from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), but only to hear cases of an urgent nature.

As a result, the courts appeared deserted with benches bereft of lawyers and litigants, most of them failing to turn up hearings of their cases amidst the fear of COVID-19.

Since hearings of regular cases have been suspended until April 5, no suspects or under trial prisoners were brought from the jails to the courts.

Meanwhile, a new duty-roster has been issued for judges of the district courts in Rawalpindi. A circular issued by a district and sessions judge on Tuesday read that only two additional district and sessions judges, as well as an additional sessions judges, will hear cases of an emergency nature until April 6.

Moreover, only half of the regular judicial staff will be required to come to the courts for completing their duties until March 30. The remaining half will be required to work from March 31 till April 6. However, all judges and staff members will remain on-call in case of an emergency. 

Published in The Express Tribune, March 25^th, 2020.