Security concerns: Government and inspector general summoned

Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial directs IGP to submit the proposed security plan for the court at the next hearing.

LAHORE:

The Lahore High Court Chief Justice on Wednesday sought responses from the Punjab government and the inspector general of police on a petition regarding poor security arrangements at the court premises.

Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial also directed the IGP to submit the proposed security plan for the court at the next hearing.

The Lahore High Court Bar Association president, Shafqat Mahmood Chohan, had filed the petition in the wake of the terrorist attack on the Islamabad district court.  Chohan said the protection of judges, lawyers and litigants visiting the courts was the police’s responsibility.  He said the attack on Islamabad’s district court was evidence of Punjab Police’s failure.  Chohan said effective security measures had not been taken by the police despite repeated complaints by bar associations. The court will resume the hearing on April 3.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 27^th, 2014.