Sessions Court security: Main gate being expanded, better protection for boundary
Measures decided after repeated security breaches in recent weeks.
A police post would also be set up at the courts. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
LAHORE:
The main entrance of the District and Sessions Court next to the Baba Ground is being expanded to build separate entrances for litigants and lawyers, one of several measures being taken to improve security, The Express Tribune has learnt.
There have been numerous security violations at the courts complex at the Lower Mall in recent weeks. On June 15, two men were shot and killed and two others injured inside a courtroom. Last week, a murder accused was repeatedly stabbed by his alleged victim’s brothers as he was led to a courtroom in handcuffs. And there have been several physical altercations involving lawyers, most recently a mass brawl on June 29.
Security at the Sessions Court was the focus of a meeting between senior judges, lawyers and police officials at the Lahore High Court a few days ago. They decided to expand the main gate to the courts complex to build separate entrances for lawyers and litigants.
There have been repeated clashes between lawyers and security personnel over body searches at the main gate. The security officials at the gate often did not search lawyers, but they have been doing so since the shooting on June 15. No one other than judges is being allowed to park their car on court premises. Also, members of the Quick Response Force have been stationed at courtrooms where murder trials are being conducted.
It was decided at the meeting that five police turrets would be constructed and fibreglass or tin sheets would be put up on the boundary wall around the District and Sessions Court, to prevent people throwing weapons over the wall, walking in via the main gate and then picking up the weapons once inside. A police post would also be set up at the courts.
A source privy to the meeting said that Justice Manzoor Malik of the LHC, who chaired the meeting, asked Operations DIG Muhammad Tahir Rai how the gunmen had managed to smuggle weapons into the courts complex on June 15. The DIG responded, according to the source, that police officials had not been able to properly check them because it was raining. Justice Malik said that police were still supposed to search visitors on rainy days.
The capital city police officer, the City SP, the LHC registrar, District and Sessions Judge Nazir Ahmad Gajana and representatives of Lahore Bar Association (LBA) also attended the meeting.
LBA Vice President Chaudhry Tauqeer Sadiq said that the bar had instructed lawyers not to try to enter the court premises without being searched and they were cooperating with police officials.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 1st, 2013.
The main entrance of the District and Sessions Court next to the Baba Ground is being expanded to build separate entrances for litigants and lawyers, one of several measures being taken to improve security, The Express Tribune has learnt.
There have been numerous security violations at the courts complex at the Lower Mall in recent weeks. On June 15, two men were shot and killed and two others injured inside a courtroom. Last week, a murder accused was repeatedly stabbed by his alleged victim’s brothers as he was led to a courtroom in handcuffs. And there have been several physical altercations involving lawyers, most recently a mass brawl on June 29.
Security at the Sessions Court was the focus of a meeting between senior judges, lawyers and police officials at the Lahore High Court a few days ago. They decided to expand the main gate to the courts complex to build separate entrances for lawyers and litigants.
There have been repeated clashes between lawyers and security personnel over body searches at the main gate. The security officials at the gate often did not search lawyers, but they have been doing so since the shooting on June 15. No one other than judges is being allowed to park their car on court premises. Also, members of the Quick Response Force have been stationed at courtrooms where murder trials are being conducted.
It was decided at the meeting that five police turrets would be constructed and fibreglass or tin sheets would be put up on the boundary wall around the District and Sessions Court, to prevent people throwing weapons over the wall, walking in via the main gate and then picking up the weapons once inside. A police post would also be set up at the courts.
A source privy to the meeting said that Justice Manzoor Malik of the LHC, who chaired the meeting, asked Operations DIG Muhammad Tahir Rai how the gunmen had managed to smuggle weapons into the courts complex on June 15. The DIG responded, according to the source, that police officials had not been able to properly check them because it was raining. Justice Malik said that police were still supposed to search visitors on rainy days.
The capital city police officer, the City SP, the LHC registrar, District and Sessions Judge Nazir Ahmad Gajana and representatives of Lahore Bar Association (LBA) also attended the meeting.
LBA Vice President Chaudhry Tauqeer Sadiq said that the bar had instructed lawyers not to try to enter the court premises without being searched and they were cooperating with police officials.
Published in The Express Tribune, July 1st, 2013.