The Chief Justice of Lahore High Court (LHC) appreciated the efforts made by the subordinate courts to minimise the agonies of litigating women and children. The Chief Justice was presiding over a meeting of the District & Session Judges convened in the Lahore High Court on Thursday to review the overall performance of the Civil and Sessions Courts in the Province from 1.1.08 to 30.6.08 and to identify the difficulties faced by judicial officers in disposal of the cases.
The review revealed that during the above mentioned period 76,871 family suits were added through institution to the previous pending cases of 74,054 and out of the same 1,11,359 suits were decided by the Family Courts leaving the balance of 39,566 only. Similarly, in this period 8,838 Family Appeals have been decided by the Appellate Courts leaving the balance of 5,446.
However, he stressed that Family Suits should be decided earlier than the prescribed period of 6 months and pending cases should be dealt with priority bases. The scrutiny of the Sessions statement for the same period and its comparison with the corresponding period of the last year ie 1.1.07 to 30.6.07, revealed that the Courts of District & Sessions Judges and Additional District & Sessions Judges disposed of 236,246 cases which is 10,220 cases more than the disposal of the same period of the last year. However, the institution in the Sessions Courts this year was 21,168 more than the institution of the last year.
The submission of their grievances in bulk before the Courts indicates the confidence reposed by the public and the Members of the Bar in the judiciary in spite of the adverse conditions and agitations. In the similar manner, it was observed that in the first six months of this year, the disposal in the Civil and Magisterial Courts was 571,099 as against 415,469 of the last year.
The Chief Justice emphasised on the Judicial Officers to put in sincere and concerted efforts to decide the Sessions Cases by following the instructions in the High Courts Rules and Orders and to strive for expeditious disposal of the cases involving the women and juveniles and that in the civil matters Alternate Dispute Resolution techniques be encouraged and resorted to.
The District & Sessions Judges of the Province of the Punjab assured that no stone will be left unturned to accomplish the target of the disposal of the family cases and expeditious disposal of other matters as directed. The Chief Justice stressed that the status of the Judicial Officers has already been upgraded now their emoluments are being raised substantially. It was emphasised that they should perform duty, honestly and diligently and earn confidence of people.