Govt tells IHC: Eight-storey judicial complex to be constructed without delay

ISLAMABAD: The federal government Tuesday informed the Islamabad High Court (IHC) that it would immediately construct an eight-storey judicial complex building comprising 91 courts in the federal capital.

It was told to a single bench of Chief Justice Athar Minallah, while hearing a petition, seeking direction for construction of a separate building for district courts as per population ratio in the federal capital.

During the hearing, the Federal Secretary Law, Raja Naeem Akbar, apprised the IHC bench that the government had taken steps for transferring the Islamabad district courts, and the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) would give approval for a new judicial complex project on March 31st.

He informed the court that the federal government had decided to immediately construct an eight-storey judicial complex building comprising 91 courts.

He added that the Planning Commission's CDWP would give approval for funds worth Rs6.8 billion for the new judicial complex project on March 31st.

The federal secretary law said that the eight-storey building would be constructed alongside the ground, whereas, the paperwork for the construction of a public facilitation centre was also completed.

He told that the Law Ministry had forwarded the summary to the federal cabinet that is likely to approve it on Thursday.

He said that the renovation work of the G-11 Judicial Complex was almost completed, and the required staff was also provided to the courtrooms besides finalising an agreement for handing over the previous building.

The secretary further said that the old building of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) courts was not suitable for establishing courtrooms; hence, another building was acquired on rent in G-10 for transferring the tribunal.

The IHC chief justice praised the performance of the Ministry of Law and Justice regarding the developments for the transfer of Islamabad district courts.

He asked the secretary law to resolve the issues at the earliest.

Justice Minallah directed the secretary law to submit a copy of the summary to the court, after its approval from the federal cabinet.

Previously, the IHC bench had directed the Ministry of Law and Justice to plan and inform this court on the next date fixed regarding the facilities, it intends to establish on the separate vacant five-acre plot for the use of the litigants and the lawyers.

The court noted in its order, The planning and execution thereof will be subject to compliance with the enforced laws, inter-alia, the Capital Development Authority Ordinance, 1960, and the regulations made thereunder. "The Ministry of Law and Justice Division will ensure that before the next date fixed, the administrative arrangement of the court staff working in the Special Courts is brought in consonance with the principle of separation of the executive and judiciary," added the bench.

It continued that the federal government will either improve the working conditions of the Accountability Courts and other Special Courts established at the Federal Judicial Complex to the satisfaction of the respective registrars or to arrange alternate buildings in order to put an end to the violation of fundamental rights of the litigants and the Ministry of Law and Justice is expected to share and consult with the Islamabad Bar Council its proposed plan for establishing facilities for the litigants and lawyers on the five-acre vacant plot earmarked for this purpose.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021