Prosecutors to continue strike

Issues between state lawyers and govt remain unresolved

PESHAWAR:

In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, issues between the prosecutors and the government remain unresolved, leading to the announcement by state lawyers to continue their court boycott today, Monday.

The strike, ongoing for the past four days, has severely impacted judicial operations. Additionally, the police are facing significant difficulties in registering cases due to the lack of input from prosecutors.

The strike has halted investigations in collaboration between prosecution, police, and CTD (Counter-Terrorism Department), and the scrutiny of cases has come to a standstill, with no progress in new cases.

Defendants in minor cases are being sent to jail, as prosecutors are not appearing in these cases, and thousands of detainees will remain in prison due to the lack of hearings on bail requests.

Relatives of those imprisoned have appealed to the government to negotiate with the prosecutors soon, as their loved ones are in jail, and court proceedings are not moving forward.

On the other hand, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Prosecution Officers' Welfare Association has stated that the strike will continue until their demands are met.

The association declared an indefinite court boycott across the province due to the government's failure to approve the establishment of an independent and autonomous Prosecution Department and Prosecutor General's Office, as well as its refusal to provide a service structure and other benefits.

The Prosecutors' Association has presented a nine-point charter of demands to the government.

The president of the Prosecutors' Association, Sangin Shah, and General Secretary Javed Ali Mohmand mentioned that they have been making these demands to the government since 2015, but no progress has been made so far.