PBC urges top court to resume all court proceedings

AGP argued that people are not taking the Covid-19 threat seriously after the apex court’s remarks

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Bar Council's (PBC) on Tuesday urged the superior judiciary to resume normal functionality and resume all court proceedings.

PBC Vice-Chairman Abid Saqi, in a statement, appreciated Monday's Supreme Court (SC) order regarding the closure of shopping malls.

“Yesterday’s order passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court setting aside the government decision to close markets and business centres and requiring the federal as well as provincial governments to allow the immediate opening of all the shops, markets and shopping malls throughout the week without any restriction of timing is appreciable as that may ensure the earning of livelihood by trading class and the workforce of hundreds and thousands of people attached therewith."

He said that in line with the spirit of the said order of the apex court, it is desirable that all the courts in the country should start their normal functioning and resume hearings of normal and routine cases also.

"The Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan and Chief Justices of all the High Courts are, therefore, requested to pass appropriate orders for the immediate reopening of all the courts at different levels to start normal functioning and hearing of all the routine cases for safeguarding the valuable rights and interests of litigants which would also strengthen the system of dispensation of justice,” the statement added.

PHOTO: EXPRESS

Earlier today, Attorney General of Pakistan (AGP) Khalid Javed Khan told the SC that people were not taking the Covid-19 threat seriously after the apex court’s remarks, making it difficult for the administration to take measures to curb the deadly pathogen.

Advocate General Sindh endorsed the opinion saying the lockdown is no more effective as shops have been allowed to open.

However, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Gulzar Ahmed stated that this was not owing to the apex court’s remarks but because police inspectors were permitting businesses to reopen after receiving bribes.