Violence at courts: LHC seeks report from IG on court attacks

Petitioner seeks improved security after murders at sessions courts.

LAHORE:

Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial of the Lahore High Court has sought a report within 10 days from Punjab Police Inspector General (IG) Khan Baig detailing recent incidents of violence on courts premises, what arrests have been made and what action has been taken against police officials for negligence in connection with these cases.

A division bench headed by the chief justice was hearing a petition calling for improved security at the courts. Appearing at the LHC on Monday, the IG said that the operations and investigation wings of the police were being reformed in order to make police officers more effective.

The chief justice rejected the IG’s response to the petition, noting that there had been several murders at sessions courts in the last six months for which none of the accused had been arrested. He asked the IG if he was under any pressure in this regard. He said that people would take the law into their own hands if judges, litigants and lawyers are not given security.

The chief justice had set up the special division bench to hear the petition last Thursday after Justice Sheikh Najamul Hasan had referred him the case, seeking a larger bench. The judge had also issued notices to the home secretary, the IG, the capital city police officer, the SP (Security), the presidents of the LHC Bar Association and the Lahore Bar Association, and all the district and sessions judges in the Punjab.

Kashif Pasha, the petitioner’s advocate, has voiced concern about the security at the courts. “Insecurity affects the community attached with the sacred duty of dispensation of justice and shakes the image and dignity of the courts. All measures adopted by law-enforcement agencies appear to have failed to stop such incidents,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 23^rd, 2013.