A petitioner has moved the Sindh High Court seeking directives for the provincial government and other participants of administration of justice to devise a multipronged strategy to establish a new central judicial complex in an accessible location in Karachi, while urgently relocating the existing City Courts complex.
Hundreds of visitors, including litigants and under trial prisoners, face a great deal of inconvenience because of inadequate amenities at the district courts in the city. There are more than 200 subordinate courts, including the civil, criminal and family ones, located at the City Courts and District Courts in Malir. Most of them are situated in the City Courts – the oldest and largest judicial complex housing 210 courts of district and sessions judges, additional district and sessions judges, senior civil judges, civil judges and judicial magistrates of South, East, West and Central districts – on M.A. Jinnah Road. There is an acute shortage of basic facilities such as potable water, public toilets, sitting arrangements and shelters for visitors.
Filing the petition before Sindh High Court (SHC), Advocate Supreme Court Zia Ahmad Awan pointed out issues saying a number of common problems, confronting learned Judges and advocates, courts staff, litigants and general public, need immediate corrective measures.
Making the provincial government and 21 others as respondents in the petition, Advocate Awan said there is necessity for a centralized ‘Judicial Complex’ to house all the District Courts, digitalization of District Courts and provision of video-link facility for deposition before the courts.
The petitioner requested the court’ directives for the provincial government to prepare a comprehensive long-term plan for establishment of a central Judicial Complex at some easily-accessible place to bring all the district courts and special courts and tribunals in one place.
He prayed the plan should also detail a development budget and timeline for construction and operation of the complex. Zia Awan added saying the proposed complex should also cater for future needs of the District Judiciary, including provisions for horizontal and vertical expansion of the complex to house more courtrooms equipped with allied facilities.
He further submitted there should also be provision for use and practical application of Information Technology and other technological advancements in future. He added the respondents may also be directed to consult and take input of all the stakeholders, including legal professionals, court administrators and members of civil society and include their feedback in the plan.
“For immediate remedial measures, he requested the court to direct the provincial government to submit original master plan of the City Courts Karachi to identify encroachments in the premises”, the petitioner submitted.
