Non-existence of ATCs, consumer courts & tribunals: Thousands of cases related to ex-Fata pending for months

PESHAWAR: Thousands of cases related to the erstwhile Fata have been pending for months due to the non-existence of anti-terrorism courts, consumer courts and tribunals.It has been learnt that the PHC had shared the proposed draft for establishing the anti-terrorism courts, consumer courts and tribunals several months ago with the government, but it is not clear yet as to when this would be approved. The sources said majority of the cases against the tribal people were terrorism-related but the government has yet to take decision about the establishment of the courts in the newly merged districts. On its part, the PHC is keenly pursuing its constitutional mandate by establishing regular courts in the merged districts. The judicial officers have started holding regular courts initially in the districts adjacent to the erstwhile Fata despite lacking facilities.As far as the role of provincial government in equipping these courts with necessary equipment is concerned, sources said recently the budget allocated to the courts were punched in the respective system of district controller officers but traditional lethargy is causing problems for the judges. The official sources said the judicial officers were conducting court work on self-help basis in dilapidated buildings having poor infrastructure and support staff. The sources claimed the response of the public of the tribal districts to the judicial officers was highly encouraging and in a couple of days numerous civil and criminal matters were decided by these courts. The sources said the PHC wanted to ensure that the people of the merged districts were provided with all constitutional guarantees regarding their fundamental rights denied to them since independence. Presently, the PHC through makeshift arrangements in the districts adjoining the seven merged districts have posted judicial officers motivated by a sense of duty. The judges with a skeleton staff are not only hearing cases but also carrying out clerical job such as registering the matters, typing judgment and orders, etc. In the Kurram district, the situation is a matter of concern as some four judicial officers of the rank of BPS-21 have been made to occupy a single room in the worst possible place.About the shifting of courts to the newly merged districts, the sources said the PHC through its steering committee has invited the government to pinpoint suitable places where the courts may be shifted in the near future within the territorial jurisdiction of these districts. The sources said the government was offering perhaps the most unsuitable places lacking proper infrastructure for setting up the courts.A senior lawyer from the merged district, Wali Khan Afridi, said he hoped the government with the slogan of change would come up to the expectations of the downtrodden masses of the districts and fulfill its constitutional mandate of ensuring all possible support to establish a system of administration of justice in these areas at the earliest. He believed the KP Police were in deep slumber as they have not yet deputed district police officers and their teams in the merged districts. “This vacuum is in the interest of nobody. We hope the government will positively change the policy towards these districts in the best interest of local inhabitants,” he added.

from The News International - Peshawar https://ift.tt/2V0qlze