ISLAMABAD   -   The Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) Thursday demanded that permanent benches are established for hearing of ordinary citizens’ cases in Supreme Court Registries. In a statement issued by Secretary PBC, the council  said that the members Pakistan Bar Council, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Punjab Bar Councils in a meeting with Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa requested that in view of the political cases, the cases of ordinary litigants are not being heard, therefore under Article 182 (a & b) ad hoc judges be appointed so that their cases are also fixed.

It added that CJP Qazi Faez accepting their requests has summoned Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) on Friday (July 19) to appoint the recently retired judges as the judges of Supreme Court. The ad hoc judges were also appointed in the past, which were appreciated because the Constitution permits it. They said that appointment of judges in the Supreme Court will help in reducing the pending cases, as most of the incumbent judges is being used in hearing the political cases, due to that the cases of ordinary litigants are delayed. No decision on their cases increases anxiety among the litigants. They demanded that after the appointment of ad hoc judges’ permanent benches be constituted in the SC Registries.

The Pakistan Bar Council has demanded from the federal government that a constitutional court be established by amending the constitution which only take up constitutional and political cases. This step would save lot time for the Supreme Court judges for hearing of ordinary citizens’ cases, which mostly are adjourned due to political cases. This would provide speedy relief to common man and restore their trust in courts.