Better security?: Government decides to set up five more ATCs

The number of ATCs will rise to 20 after this addition.

KARACHI:

The Sindh government has decided to increase the number of anti-terrorism courts with an aim to curb the violence through effective prosecution of the criminals involved in the heinous crimes, such as targeted killings, murder, collecting extortion kidnapping and other terrorist activities.

Chaired by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, the federal cabinet in consultation with the provincial government had decided to take various steps, including increasing the number of anti-terrorism courts, to restore peace in the metropolis.

In order to execute the new policy, the provincial government has decided to establish five new anti-terrorism courts for expeditious trial and disposal of such cases. The home department requested the chief justice of the Sindh High Court, Mushir Alam, on Friday to nominate the district and sessions judges  as presiding officers of the five new anti-terrorism courts.

Officials privy to the matter told The Express Tribune that the high court had received a formal request from the home department and it is going to choose judges for new ATCs. The names will be forwarded as soon as the list is finalised after consultation.

After this increase, the total number of the special anti-terrorism court will increase to 20, as there are five special ATCs already functioning while 15 district and sessions judges have also been conferred the special powers under the anti-terror law to try and prosecute the accused involved. In March this year, the 15 judges were given powers under the anti-terrorism act 1997 to expeditiously try and decide such cases.

Officials said the addition of five new courts would lessen the burden of the cases from the incumbent presiding officers of the ATCs.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 7^th, 2013.