Khudayar Mohla –
Taking a cue from recent directives of the Islamabad High Court Chief Justice Athar Minallah for effective steps to ensure improved functioning of district courts, a pro bono lawyer Akram Chaudhry is determined to fight legal battle for separate courts for children and women related cases in community centers of Islamabad.
“A woman with her child is standing before a judge for remedy in family matter who is also adjudicating criminal trial at the same time – does it make sense”, Chaudhry said while talking to Law Today on Tuesday.
Islamabad district judiciary had been divided into East and West jurisdictions but both the District and Session Judges are sitting in one place of the city in plazas on rent at Sector F-8. Lawyers of the District Bar have encroached on footpaths, emergency exit of the courts and a football ground where chambers have been constructed. Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) administration has taken action against illegal construction but failed to remove encroachments completely.
Chaudhry has invoked jurisdiction of the IHC, seeking a number of remedies including, separate courts for juvenile justice and family matters in community centers at Bahra Koh, Tarlai, Simily Dam, Khana Dak, and all residential Sectors of the City in addition to shift offices of District and Session Judge East to Tarlai.
Chaudhry said that currently Islamabad High Court is functioning in government building that was allocated for District Judiciary in G-10, adding once the IHC under construction building at Constitution Avenue is completed offices of the IHC would be shifted there. Consequently, West District & Session Judge would be shifted in its allocated building at G-10. He further said that setting up District and Session Judge East office in Tarlai and West in G-10 will also resolve issue relating to rotation of district judiciary automatically.
It is pertinent to mention that Chief Justice Islamabad High Court has asked the federal government to form a five-member committee of Federal Secretary Interior, Chief Commissioner Islamabad, Chairman Capital Development Authority, Inspector General of the ICT and President District Bar Association which will turn up with tangible solution in response to Chaudhry’s petition in one month.
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