District courts to be powered by solar energy

The District Bar Association has accorded its approval for making use of solar energy as the primary electricity source for all the offices and bar rooms of the District Courts to cut down on steep bills.

The cost of converting the power supply of court offices to solar energy is projected to be recovered in one year’s time.

It has also been decided to give the bar’s canteen the status of a mess, with lawyers to benefit from having meals at subsidised rates within the premises.

Negotiations with the bar commissioner and deputy commissioner for new chambers belonging to young lawyers have been declared a success. The district administration will be providing more space to the bar, including a parking lot in front of the Court Complex with a capacity of up to 200 cars.

Meanwhile, the contract sum of two large billboards of the court has been increased from Rs1.8 million and given to a new contractor in an open auction for a new sum of Rs7 million.

Similarly, the court paper stalls will be auctioned for up to Rs3 million per year, up from the existing figure of Rs1 million.

The standard of the lawyers’ club in the judicial complex is also being brought up to the mark of the famous Gymkhana.

The decision to arrest fake lawyers and tout mafia working in the premises of the District Court and the Court Complex has also been approved. Cases would be filed against the aforementioned elements, who will then be sent to Adiala jail.

District Bar Secretary Malik Mubashir Rafiq told The Express Tribune that several projects, including a new vehicle-parking contract at increased rates, have been approved to help increase the revenue of the District Bar.

A new counter has been set up exclusively for lawyers at the service centre so they would no longer have to form long queues, he added.

Efforts are being made for the approval of quotas for children of lawyers to study in reputable schools, universities and colleges from nursery to PhD at discounted fees, while lawyers will also receive a 50% concession on their laboratory tests.

Procedures are also being worked out with the district administration and the City Police Officer respectively for ensuring cleanliness and foolproof security of the district court.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 19^th, 2022.