PHC orders swift action on detentions
A lawyer walks past in front of the Peshawar High Court building. PHOTO: AFP
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has directed all subordinate courts to prioritize and promptly dispose of all pending petitions related to illegal detentions. A formal letter in this regard has been issued by the Registrar of PHC to all district and sessions judges as well as judicial magistrates.
According to the letter, Chief Justice of the PHC, Justice S.M Attique Shah, has ordered that all pending petitions concerning illegal detentions be disposed of immediately.
The directive emphasizes the constitutional and legal importance of safeguarding a citizen's liberty and underscores the responsibility of all sessions judges and judicial magistrates to ensure timely justice in such matters.
The letter instructs district and sessions judges to act on the orders without delay, reaffirming that cases concerning a citizen's deprivation of liberty must be handled with utmost urgency.
It is noteworthy that habeas corpus and similar petitions are frequently filed in district and sessions courts, as well as magistrates' courts, often alleging unlawful detention by police authorities without legal justification.
Responding to these serious concerns, the Chief Justice has called for strict adherence to constitutional provisions and the Code of Criminal Procedure to uphold the fundamental rights of citizens.