Posting of judicial officers to executive posts approved

 

LAHORE: Accepting a request of the Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights, the National Judicial Policy Making Committee (NJPMC) on Saturday approved the posting of judicial officers to the ministry on deputation in relaxation of the National Judicial Policy.
Chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJ) Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, the committee said though the posting of judicial officers against the executive posts violated the principle of the independence of judiciary, keeping in view the difficulties of the ministry the high courts may allow judicial officers to join the law department/ministry. However, the court cautioned that in such a case the judicial officers shall sever their relation with the judiciary.

Addressing the meeting, Chief Justice Tassaduq Jillani said the judiciary would enhance the prestige of the country in the world, as it was getting the attention of foreign intellectuals by upholding the rule of law and constitutionalism.

He said compared with the previous years, an overwhelming participation of international delegates in the International Judicial Conference-2014 held in Islamabad was a proof of it. “This is a good omen,” he added.

He said the superior judiciary had introduced information technology in its system to regulate case flow management, digitisation of libraries and administrative record, SMS alert to lawyers and an electronic attendance system for the staff etc.

“However, though these initiatives have increased the efficiency of the courts, “we are still lagging behind achieving the optimum benefits of technology,” he added.

He expressed the hope that a unified integrated information system would not only foster access to important information about case flows, but also improve court efficiency by reducing the time-consuming paper-based process.

“The constitution of the National Judicial Automation Committee (NJAC) is an important step towards the realisation of this dream,” he said and added that the meeting would review the status of the automation project of the superior judiciary.

“We are passing through a crucial stage of history and are confronting various problems, including extremism and intolerance in society”, the CJ said. He said by promoting tolerance and enforcing rights of citizens, a harmonious society could be established.

The judiciary being an important organ of the state can play a vital role in promoting tolerance by ensuring the expeditious dispensation of justice, he added.

He urged that the year 2014 be declared a year of Promoting Religious and Cultural Tolerance in Society which had been approved by the NJPMC.

The committee also considered the rules framed by the High Court of Sindh to regulate the Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) proceedings.

The CJ/Chairman NJPMC took exception to the situation and observed that it had been more than 10 years since Section 89-A was introduced in the Civil Procedure Code (CPC) for early resolution of disputes by resorting to ADR techniques but regrettably the rules were not framed for the benefits of the provision to trickle down.

After deliberations, a committee was constituted under the chairmanship of Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Judge Supreme Court of Pakistan, comprising a judge from each high court to propose uniform rules to make Section 89-A of the CPC effective.

The committee also considered the recommendations of the International Judicial Conference 2014 and observed that the recommendations made by the working groups were worth considering and, if implemented, these would improve the administration of justice and pave the way for promoting tolerance and the rule of law in society.

After deliberations, the committee approved them for implementation.

The chief justice took serious notice of the delay in the construction of district courts and model jail for Islamabad and observed that the recent suicide attack on the Islamabad District Courts, wherein precious lives of litigants, lawyers and judicial officer were lost, had prompted an early completion of projects to provide a safe and peaceful environment to litigants to pursue their cases.

The chief justice constituted a committee comprising one judge each of the Supreme Court and Islamabad High Court to oversee the projects for their early completion.

The meeting was attended by Chief Justice Federal Shariat Court Agha Rafiq Ahmed Khan, Chief Justice Balochistan High Court Qazi Faez Isa, Chief Justice Lahore High Court Umar Ata Bandial, Chief Justice Sindh High Court Maqbool Baqar and Chief Justice Peshawar High Court Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel.

Chief Justice Islamabad High Court Muhammad Anwar Khan Kasi; Chief Justice Supreme Court of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Justice Mohammad Azam Khan; Chief Judge Supreme Appellate Court Gilgit-Baltistan Justice Rana Muhammad Arshad Khan and Chief Judge, Chief Court, Gilgit-Baltistan Justice Sahib Khan also attended the meeting.

PM orders judicial inquiry into attack on Hamid Mir

 

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Sunday ordered a judicial inquiry into the attack on senior journalist and Geo news anchorperson Hamid Mir.
In this regard, the prime minister decided to constitute a three-member judicial commission to probe the murder attempt on Hamid Mir. A formal request would be sent to the Chief Justice of Pakistan to nominate three members of the commission.

The government also announced a reward of Rs10 million for any information leading to the arrest of the culprits.Meanwhile, journalists and civil society members held countrywide protest demonstrations against the attack on Hamid Mir and demanded of the government to take immediate measures to provide protection to journalists.

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, Rawalpindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists, and the National Press Club held a protest demonstration against the attack on Hamid Mir and demanded the arrest of the culprits involved in the attack.

Journalists of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad gathered in front of the Press Club and called for providing security to the journalist community. Speaking on the occasion, leaders of the journalist community said freedom of the press could not be muzzled through such cowardly attacks.

They demanded that the culprits involved in the attack on Hamid Mir should be brought to justice at the earliest.The journalists prayed for the early recovery of Hamid Mir and paid tributes to him for his professionalism and dedication.

Meanwhile, journalists, politicians, lawyers, intellectuals and notables from civil society along with a large number of people protested against the attack on Hamid Mir at the Lahore Press Club.

The protest was jointly called by the Lahore Press Club, Punjab Union of Journalists, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, Electronic Media Reporters Association, Electronic Media Cameramen Association and Photojournalists Association.

The protesters were holding banners and placards inscribed with slogans against curbs on the freedom of press. They demanded that the inquiry into the incident be made public and those responsible be given exemplary punishment.

Geo Lahore Bureau Chief Khawar Naeem Hashmi said journalists had braved the most excruciating tortures and life-threatening situations in Pakistan which continued to be among the most dangerous countries for journalists. But it had not deterred media persons from performing their duties. He said Hamid Mir had always been the torch-bearer of truth and journalism.

Imtiaz Alam and Asma Jahangir said the situation was now beyond the limit of endurance and the role of the security apparatus and agencies in deciding who was a patriot would not be allowed any more. They said even if the agencies were not involved in the attack, they should bring to justice the responsible persons and any lapse in this regard would reek of their involvement.

IA Rahman, Najam Sethi and Jugnu Mohsin said the attack on Hamid Mir would not be allowed to become another Saleem Shahzad case, the results of which were never shared and those responsible were never brought to justice. They said it was unacceptable that anyone could dictate through bullets what the media should report or not.

They said the matter was a test case for the government because it would decide if the actors behind the brutal act would be deterred or encouraged.PTI leaders Shafqat Mahmood, Andaleeb Abbas and Ejaz Chaudhry also participated in the protest as did the PPP’s social media team. They condemned the attack and prayed for the speedy recovery of Hamid Mir while assuring that they would stand with the media and for freedom of the press.

Hina Jilani while condemning the attack said absolute transparency was required in the investigation and it was imperative that the results of the probe be compiled as soon as possible.In Nankana Sahib, members of the press club and District Union of Journalists took out a rally against the attack on Hamid Mir in Karachi.

The rally started from the press club and concluded at Burewala Chowk. Speaking on the occasion, press club office bearers said that nobody can surpress the voice of rights through cruel actions. They said that the media was the fourth pillar of the state and such cowardly acts cannot stop journalists from doing their duty. They demanded the immediate arrest of the culprits.

Journalists staged a demonstration in Arifwala. They were holding placards and banners inscribed with slogans against the attack. The members of the PML-N, JI, PPP, PTI, Markazi Anjuman-e-Tajran, DBA, PMA and Apca also joined the rally. The speakers strongly condemned the attack on Hamid Mir and demanded a high-level judicial commission to launch an inquiry into the incident.

Journalists and civil society members held protest demonstrations in Bahawalpur and condemned the attack on Hamid Mir.

Journalists also took out a rally in Okara. The rally was led by Okara Press Club president and District Union of Journalists president. The rally started from the OPC and culminated at Gole Chowk. The journalists chanted slogans against the attackers who tried to kill Hamid Mir. They demanded the immediate arrest of the accused persons.

In Pakpattan, members of the press club staged a demonstration. Meanwhile, various politicians including PML-N leader Sardar Mansib Ali Dogar, ex-MNA Mian Ahmad Raza Khan Maneka, PML-Q leader MPA Pir Ahmad Shah Khagga, MPA Mian Naveed Ali, PTI leader Rao Naseem Hashim, PML-N district president Khan Imtiaz Ali Khan, PPP district president Mian Humayun Sarwar Bodla, ex-tehsil nazim Dewan Azmat, PPP leader Mian Naseem Mehmood, PPP leader Rao Jamil Hashim Khan, JI city ameer Rana Abdul Rauf and others condemned the cowardly attack on Hamid Mir and demanded immediate arrest of the culprits.

Protest demonstrations against attack on Hamid Mir were also held in Burewala, Lalamusa, Kasur, Hasilpur, Mubarakpur, Bahawalnagar, Haroonabad, Khanpur, Liaqatpur and Rahimyar Khan.

Journalists also held protest demonstration in Karachi and condemned the attack on Hamid Mir.In Naudero, journalists and civil society members staged protest demonstration outside Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Press Club.

The participants of the rally condemned the attack on Hamid Mir and chanted slogans against the government for its failure to arrest the culprits. They were holding banners inscribed with slogans ‘Don’t Kill the Freedom of Expression - Its a right’; ‘Provide security to Journalists - Don’t target them’.

Protest demonstrations were also held in different parts of Azad Jammu and Kashmir. People, mostly journalists, thronged the streets to register their extreme indignation against the attack on Hamid Mir in Karachi.

Judicial commission seeks reinvestigation of Parveen Rehman’s murder

ISLAMABAD: The suo moto case of the murder of Orangi Pilot Project Director Parveen Rehman was heard by the Supreme Court on Tuesday.

During proceedings the report of the judicial commission was presented before the court. The report sought an independent reinvestigation of the murder case.


The report prepared by the district and sessions judge in Karachi claimed that the initial investigation was manipulated. Human Rights Commission lawyer, Kamran Shekih agreed with the findings of the report and said the reinvestigation should not be carried out by the Sindh police. He called for the formation of a joint investigation team. Additional Prosecutor Sindh opposed the formation of a joint investigation team.

The apex court observed that Parveen Rehman was a social worker and did not have a personal enmity with anyone and she was working against the land mafia.

Rehman was gunned down near the Banaras flyover when she was returning home from work last year.

Non-appointment of HEC chairman a slap for judicial system: IHC

ISLAMABAD: Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui of the Islamabad High Court (IHC) observed on Monday that the failure to appoint the Higher Education Commission (HEC) chairman was a slap on the face of the judicial system.

He issued an order to appoint the HEC chairman in 15 days. “If the government fails to appoint the chairman within the stipulated time, a Pandora’s box about a rift between ministers will open up in the court,” the judge stated. “The names of those who are presently behind the curtains will be revealed.”

The secretary education told the court that the prime minister, after rejecting the summary for the appointment of HEC chairman, had formed a new committee. The IHC remarked that the HEC chairman couldn’t be appointed in nine months despite an assurance from the government, and the situation posed a challenge to the judicial system. He further said the treatment meted out to the country’s largest educational body reflected the pathetic state of affairs of national institutions.

Dasti demands transparent judicial inquiry

ISLAMABAD: Independent Member National Assembly Jamshed Dasti on Wednesday demanded judicial inquiry to investigate his allegations.
Talking to media persons outside the Parliament House, Jamshed Dasti refused to appear before the National Assembly's seven-member committee saying 'I am not culprit'.
He lauded the government's decision to include all stake-holders in the dialogue process with Taliban.
Jamshed Dasti said that the government should be given free hand for dialogue with Tahreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other groups.
He said that some foreign elements did not want to success of peace process in the country.