Lahore - The legal fraternity again went on strike on Thursday after a few days of routine work at courts.
This time lawyers are protesting against the decision of the National Judicial Policy Making Committee (NJPMC) on registration of cases under sections 22-A and 22-B of the Criminal Procedures Code (CrPC) and duration of murder trial, etc.
The committee has decided that applications for registration of FIRs might not be entertained by the justice of peace if they are not followed by a decision of the superintendent of police (SP) of the relevant district.
Earlier, the Lahore High Court Bar Association had announced meetings on March 26 to discuss the future course of action against the new policy. The Punjab Bar announced strike on March 25 and 26.
When contacted, Iftikhar Ibrahim Qureshi, vice chairman of the Punjab Bar Council, bemoaned the NJPMC decision. He said that no representatives of any bar association or council was taken into confidence before making this decision.
The VP said if the NJPMC does not reverse the decision, protests would be expanded to every part of the province. He said that lawyers would get the decision reversed at all costs.
He regretted that the NJPMC had not even bothered to make a call to any member of the bar associations across the country while making the decision on sections 22-A and 22-B of the CrPC.
The vice chairman said that people have been left at the mercy of policemen after formation of the new judicial policy. He said that people were already facing a lot of difficulties in getting FIRs registered and now the situation has worsened.
To a question, he said that as far as responsibility of police is concerned Section 154 of the CrPC clearly states that verbal or oral statement of a complainant be recorded forthwith.
He stated that sections 22a and 22b are remedy against the police refusal to record the statement of the complainant. He said the cops would never treat complainants now as the necessary powers were with the police officials. Since the NJPMC made the decision, the lawyers are taking to the streets and demanding immediate reversal of the decision.
They called it against the interests of the legal fraternity as well as people.
As a result of the strike, litigants who came from far off areas of Punjab had to return home disappointed.
LHC orders shifting of Abbasi to hospital for treatment
LAHORE - A division bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday ordered to shift Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader Hanif Abbasi to Shaikh Zayed Hospital for treatment.
Abbasi was convicted in ephedrine case till April 11 and he filed an appeal against the conviction in the Lahore High Court under which the civil miscellaneous application was filed seeking direction for his medical treatment. In July 2018, an anti-narcotics court sentenced Abbasi to life in prison in the eight-year-old ephedrine quota case.
The order was passed the division bench consisting of Justice Miss Aalia Neelum and Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar.
At the outset of the hearing, the petitioner’s counsel contended that Hanif Abbasi was suffering from kidney and heart diseases and his treatment was not possible in jail.
He submitted that directions be issued for the treatment of his client in a hospital.
However, a law officer replying to a court query argued that Hanif Abbasi’s medical reports should be sought first. But the bench remarked that it was a matter of human health; therefore, it was mandatory to provide medical treatment for the petitioner.
The bench, while disposing of the application, ordered the shifting of Mr Abbasi to Shaikh Zayed Hospital.
Meanwhile, the bench also adjourned hearing of Hanif Abbasi’s appeal against his conviction in ephedrine case till April 11.
Through his appeal, Abbasi had requested the bench to set aside his conviction and order for his release. He took the plea that the trial court had failed to appreciate facts of the case. He also pleaded for suspension of the sentence and release on bail till final decision on the appeal.