Justice on wheels: PHC’s mobile court settles 33 cases on second field visit

10-year-old land dispute resolved with the help of mediators.

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court’s (PHC) mobile court decided 33 criminal and civil cases on its second field visit in Tarnab,on the city’s outskirts on Thursday.

Out of the 37 cases referred to the mobile court, Judge Fazal Wadood decided 33 cases through the mediators. These included 20 criminal cases and 13 civil ones. The court also decided a 10-year-old land dispute that had reportedly resulted in three murders over a decade. Another similar case was also settled through mediators.



Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Judicial Academy Director General Hayat Ali Shah told journalists the main purpose of the mobile court was to provide justice to people at their doorsteps. He added it was the dream of the PHC chief justice to assist poor people in attaining their rights.

District and Sessions Judge Shabir Khan said mobile courts helps give legal status to the traditional jirga system as mediators try to resolve disputes after both parties agree on one point.



“Women and children are usually ignored in jirgas, but every decision is taken according to the law and Constitution through the mobile court,” said Shabir. “The judicial academy will soon set up the Dost Muhammad Khan Mediation Centre where judges of mobile courts will be trained especially for this purpose.”

The mobile court had settled 29 cases during its first field visit on August 27.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 20^th, 2013.