The city’s district courts have been left insecure and vulnerable to any kind of attack owing to lack of proper security arrangements by the relevant authorities.
According to the District Bar Association, around 8,000 to 10,000 people, including lawyers, complainants and court officials, daily visit the courts in the old and congested katcheri building and the newer judicial complex.
Only 72 police personnel have been deployed to secure both the buildings, which comes down to one policeman for over 100 people. Of the total police strength, there are 33 constables, three lady constables, one head constable and nine assistant sub-inspectors who perform duties in three shifts while the rest either remain on leave or are assigned extra duty elsewhere.
Besides, of the 38 personnel deployed at eight security points in and around the facilities, there is a shortage of two sub-inspectors, nine sub-inspectors, five head constables, two lady constables and six constables.
A police post set up inside one of the old buildings by the Civil Lines Police Station has only one sub-inspector and a constable who are available for a duty of eight hours only. There is no locker where they can store a record of activities at the post, leaving them with no option but to keep it in their personal briefcases.
The post also lacks furniture, cleaning facilities, gas and clean drinking water.
(In)security arrangements
There are no barriers at the entrance and exit points of the courts, neither are there CCTV cameras in the old katcheri building. Moreover, police pickets at rooftops proposed by the bar association are also non-existent.
“The police high-ups were informed in written about the lack of adequate security arrangements but no step has been taken in this regard,” said Junaid Khokhar, the general secretary of the association.
According to a police official, one of the two walkthrough gates installed at the main entrance is also out of order. He said there are around 150 CCTV cameras covering the premises but its control is not with the police in the katcheri.
“There is a dire need of constructing more security points and shifting the car park out of the premises,” he stated further.
The police official also complained that cops are not allowed to check any vehicle with a lawyer inside nor can they frisk the people accompanying the black coats. He also complained about rampant issuance of court parking stickers to unauthorised vehicles by the legal fraternity.
Bakhshi Khana
The Bakshi Khana at the judicial complex, where prisoners are temporarily shifted before being presented in court, not only lacks CCTV cameras but is also devoid of a proper boundary wall.
Police officials on duty at the place told The Express Tribune that the Bakshi Khana can accommodate 100 persons but daily 250 to 300 suspects are brought from Adiala Jail to the holding facility, which is guarded by only 10 cops.
Additionally, and much to the pleasure of the detained accused, the lack of a proper boundary allows the prisoners to communicate with their relatives waiting in the judicial complex.
Sub-inspector Muhammad Rafiq, in-charge of the Bakhshi Khana, said they are performing their duty with honesty within the resources made available to them by the state.
City Police Officer Humayun Bashir Tarar could not be reached for comments despite several attempts.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 16th, 2014.
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