SC to resume working next week between coronavirus pandemic

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court of Pakistan will continue working from the week starting after March 30 as the top court declared cause-list of the cases to be heard during the next week amid coronavirus pandemic.

The cause-list issued by the top court, however, does not include a discussion of a case concerning a recommendation filed against Supreme Court Judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa. The debate in the case is suspended for an indefinite period.

The cases to listen in the top court from the next week included matters relating to services and bails. Only emergency cases will have listened to the high court registries as the petitioners other than the lawyers are exempted from the court listenings.

On March 19, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed chaired a conference of the National Judicial Policy Making Committee (NJPMC), where it was decided against shutting countrywide courts despite a growing number of coronavirus cases.

The meeting decided that the courts across the country would remain open and follow all standard operating plans (SOPs) aimed at tackling the spread of the virus.

“We will not shatter the hopes of masses who look towards the judiciary for dispensing justice,” the meeting decided.

However, it said the chief justices of the high courts were commissioned to make decisions on their own, keeping in view the ground realities.

The apex court judge Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan was selected as the focal person to adjust with the lower courts keeping in view the developing situation. “The high courts will also appoint their focal persons,” the decision said, adding that all high courts would be attached to follow the SOPs devised to deal with the virus.

The chief justice said that they would choose all measures to prevent administrative staff and applicants from coming into communication with the virus at the courts’ premises.