Courts will remain open at all levels

National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee, (NJPMC) decided that courts will remain open at all levels by reducing the judicial work load, so that the people working in the courts or visiting shall not be exposed to any risk of getting affected by virus.
People are urged not to unnecessarily visit court premises unless specifically required by any court.
The Committee met on Thursday under the chairmanship of Chief Justice of Pakistan/Chairman, NJPMC, Gulzar Ahmed in Committee Room, Supreme Court of Pakistan, Islamabad.
According to the NJPMC issued at 11:00 p.m., the meeting was attended by the chief justices of Federal Shariat Court and High Courts of all the four provinces and Islamabad. On special invitation, Dr. Zafar Mirza, Special Assistant to Prime Minister for Health and Dr. Khurram Shahzad Akram, Incharge Judges Medical Centre, also attended the meeting.
The Committee resolved that High Courts, District Courts will reduce the work by hearing urgent matters and discouraging the entry of general public. It was also resolved that no adverse order against any party would be passed in the courts in default i.e. non-prosecution or ex-parte order, etc.
NJPMC unanimously resolved that instructions/guidelines issued by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, shall be adopted by the Federal Shariat Court and High Courts up to the District and Tehsil Courts.
The Committee directed that the jail inmates (prisoners) shall be protected from being exposed to the risk of coronavirus/infection without denial of their right of family meetings, however, authorities will make sure to adopt precautionary measures and regulate the procedure of meetings.
The Committee also deliberated upon likelihood of jail inmates to be exposed to coronavirus coming from outside, therefore, visitors visiting jail premises should be examined and properly screened to avoid any threat of infection of coronavirus to the prisoners, if any of the prisoner found infected he will be quarantined within jail premises without any delay from the premises.