PHC cracks down on delays, corruption
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) has decided to discourage unnecessary adjournments in order to ensure the swift disposal of pending, especially long-standing, cases. The court is also considering strict action against departments and officers who fail to submit comments within the given timeframe.
According to sources, a full-court meeting chaired by Justice SM Atiq Shah and attended by senior puisne judge Justice Ijaz Anwar along with other judges was held to review these matters. During the session, it was observed that frequent delays in compliance with judicial orders were eroding public confidence. It was further noted that despite repeated notices, government departments often failed to file timely comments.
To address this, the Advocate General was earlier designated as the focal person for provincial departments, but due to ineffective coordination, the meeting suggested that the Additional Advocate General's office should remain in close contact with the court. The judges stressed that strict action must be taken against departments that fail to comply within the stipulated timeframe.
In another key development, the meeting proposed that, similar to the Islamabad High Court, benches be designated for specific categories of cases to improve efficiency. Chief Justice Shah directed that all implementation matters be decided by senior benches on designated days, with all other benches bound to follow suit. He also ordered that every government agency, department, and authority must ensure immediate compliance with court directives without delay.
The judges expressed concern over corruption within the judicial system and resolved to adopt a zero-tolerance policy. For this purpose, a committee headed by Justice Ijaz Anwar has been tasked with eliminating corruption and misconduct in both the high court and district courts.
Other administrative matters were also discussed, including case management, service structure and recruitment of staff (both permanent and contractual), construction of parking facilities, uniform policies for seminars and official visits, amendments to Efficiency and Discipline (E&D) rules, preparation of independent service rules for district judiciary, and creation of posts for additional registrars.
Sources added that the full-court resolved to set yearly goals and policies at the start of each year to expedite case disposal. It was emphasized that adjournments, especially in old cases, should be strictly discouraged and avoided under all circumstances. If counsel is absent, written comments will be obtained, and cases will be fixed for orders without delay.
The performance of the Communication and Works (C&W) Department was also criticized for inefficiency. Judges suggested establishing a dedicated system to monitor development projects at both the high court and district levels. Proposals included replacing underperforming contractors and strengthening project oversight to prevent delays.