ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court will be working with the minimal staff at its principal seat in Islamabad on Wednesday, while no judicial work will be conducted at the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) in the capital for a second consecutive day.
The developments come as extraordinary security measures have been put in place for the anticipated second round of US-Iran peace talks in Islamabad, expected to be held this week. The measures also include restricted entry to the high-security Red Zone, where both the courts are located.
The SC issued a notification on Tuesday, stating that the chief justice of Pakistan “shall function with minimal specified officers/ officials on April 22”.
“However, the remaining officers/ officials shall work from home and shall remain in contact with their immediate supervising officers by keeping themselves connected through cell phone,” it added.
The notification also said that “no adverse order shall be passed in case of non-appearance of any party or advocate in any case of Islamabad fixed in the final cause list on the above date”.
Meanwhile, SC branch registries in Lahore, Karachi, Peshawar and Quetta should remain open on Wednesday, the notification stated.
Earlier, the SC notified separate standard operating procedures (SOPs) in a press release to ensure uninterrupted judicial functioning during “unforeseen public holidays”.
Under the SOPs, administrative and judicial business will ordinarily continue during “emergently declared public holidays” with minimal essential staff arrangements, unless otherwise directed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi.
“The case fixation framework prioritises urgent civil and criminal matters, including family cases, bail matters, criminal review petitions, cases of prisoners above 80 years of age, restoration petitions and compromise matters and cases involving short legal questions,” the statement said.
It added that to reduce pendency, at least 40 per cent of each final cause list would consist of the oldest pending cases up to the year 2018, with progressive inclusion of later years where required.
It said that special facilitation had also been provided for cases filed by counsel from Sindh and Balochistan.
“The SOPs further provide for the issuance of weekly and proposed monthly cause lists, along with the development of an automated case fixation system to enhance transparency, minimise delays, and improve case flow management,” it said.
The statement concluded that the measures reflected the SC’s “continued commitment to efficient, technology-driven, and citizen-centric administration of justice”.
On Monday, the SC had conducted court proceedings, where around 20 cases out of a total of 28 were disposed of, while one of the members of the bench participated from the Lahore Registry via secure video link.
No judicial work at FCC
Meanwhile, the FCC issued a notification stating that on account of closure of the Red Zone in Islamabad as well as “keeping in view the difficulties to be faced by lawyers, litigants and the officers/ officials of the court to attend the court”, the FCC chief justice had ordered that no judicial work should be conducted on April 22 at the court’s principal seat.
“Consequently, the cause list of the court shall stand cancelled.
“However, all officers and staff shall work from home and shall not leave the station. Besides, all four branch registries of the court shall remain open for judicial and administrative work,” the notification read.
Wednesday would be the second consecutive day when judicial proceedings would not be conducted at the FCC.
A day earlier, the court said no judicial work would be conducted at its principal seat in Islamabad on Tuesday in view of security arrangements ahead of the arrival of foreign delegations.
