Allegations of bribery by court staff at the Islamabad High Court (IHC) following their transfer have surfaced.
On Justice Babar Sattar's instructions, his secretary issued a letter to the registrar addressing complaints that certain staff members were demanding money from petitioners and lawyers. The letter emphasised that such actions amount to bribery and undermine the principles of justice. Copies of the letter were also sent to the secretaries of all judges.
The letter stated that an immediate action should be taken to eliminate this malpractice. The courtrooms and corridors of the IHC are under video surveillance. It suggested reviewing footage from the past two weeks to identify any instances of bribery and called for strict disciplinary measures against those found guilty.
It further highlighted concerns that some high courts have tolerated similar practices, making bribery a part of their system. However, such a culture is not acceptable in the IHC, and any attempts to introduce it must be eradicated.
Despite signs in some court premises across Pakistan stating that demanding money is strictly prohibited, reports indicate that bribery still occurs under these warnings. The letter stressed that failure to act now could lead to the deterioration of IHC's integrity.
The office of Acting Chief Justice Sarfaraz Dogar confirmed receipt of the letter and stated that a circular had already been issued in this regard. However, when contacted, the Registrar's office did not provide an immediate comment.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ