During the petition’s hearing on Tuesday, the division bench was informed by the Sindh finance department additional secretary that a substantive cut was made in the funds due to the floods.
About Rs84.7 million were earmarked to meet the requirements of the judiciary in the province, but now only one-third of the allocated amount is available, the SHC bench was told.
When the bench said that whatever amount is available as stated by the additional secretary should be released in the first instance, the Sindh advocate general assured the bench that he will convey to the relevant quarters about the judiciary’s requirement.
The bench adjourned further proceedings, directing the advocate general to complete the exercise and submit a report within a month.
The SHC registrar had earlier informed that one district and sessions judge comes to the court in a taxi because he has no means of transportation available. He submitted a list of 91 additional district and sessions judges and senior civil judges who are waiting for an official car. Their quality of work is being badly affected, the registrar added.
Separately, the same SHC bench, headed by Chief Justice Sarmad Jalal Osmany, adjourned the hearing of another petition by the registrar regarding the title transfer of a building used as a court in Pannu Aqil Cantt after the 2008 riots that erupted after the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 1st, 2010.
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