PHC appoints judges for 27 model courts in KP

PESHAWAR: In pursuance of the recommendations of the National Judicial Policy Making Committee, the Peshawar High Court (PHC) has established 27 model courts in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa for the provision of expeditious justice through time-bound criminal trial regimen, trial management and scheduling mechanism.

The PHC issued the notification through Khawaja Wajihuddin, registrar of the PHC, in which the high court appointed 27 judges for the model courts in the province.

The judges appointed for the model courts included Aamer Ali, Additional District and Sessions Judge (ADSJ) for Peshawar, Dost Muhammad Khan ADSJ for Nowshera, Arbab Sohail Hamid ADSJ for Charsadda, Ms. Nadia Syed, ADSJ for Mardan, Muhammad Zaib Khan ADSJ for Swabi, Adil Majeed Khan ADSJ for Malakand, Ms. Hajira Rehman ADSJ for Swat, Aftab Iqbal, ADSJ for Shangla, Liaqat Ali ADSJ for Dir Lower, Syed Mudassir Shah Termizi ADSJ for Dir Upper, Kashif Dilawar ADSJ for Buner, Muhammad Khan ADSJ for Chitral, Usman Wali ADJ for Dera Ismail Khan, Nasir Kamal ADSJ for Tank, Ijaz Rashid ADSJ for Bannu, Abdul Wahab Qureshi ADSJ for Lakki Marwat, Arbab Aziz Ahmad ADSJ for Kohat, Ajmal Shah ADSJ for Hangu, Malik Muhammad Hasnain ADSJ for Karak, Khalid Hussain ADSJ for Haripur, Ms. Zainab Rehman ADSJ for Abbottabad, Muhammad Tahir Aurangzeb ADSJ for Mansehra, Ms. Kiran Naz ADSJ for Battagram, Muhammad Arshad District and Sessions Judge for Kohistan Upper, Ashfaque Taj District and Sessions Judge for Torghar, Syed Anees Badshah Bukhari District and Sessions Judge for Kohistan Lower and Safiullah Jan District and Sessions Judge for Kolai Pallas.

As per the standard operating procedures for the courts, no adjournments shall be granted by the model courts and a trial schedule shall be issued for the observance of lawyers and prosecutors, who shall also give details of their junior/replacement so that the trial may be concluded within the time frame.

“The attendance of witnesses would be ensured through special process servers. The SP-Investigation of each district shall act as focal person for the Police Department at the district level, who shall liaise with the process cell,” the notification said, adding that the in-charge of the investigation of each Police Station shall be responsible for the production of all witnesses (except medical witnesses) and case property.

For timely production of medical witnesses, it said, the Secretary Health shall be approached.

“In case the lawyers engaged in the trials before the model courts are to appear in the superior courts on the same day, then the said Superior Courts upon production of a certificate by the lawyer to appear before the model courts on the same day would be spared by the Superior Courts,” the notification said.

Furthermore, it said, the initiative aims to achieve its objectives within the existing legal framework and available resources.

“These courts shall be supervised by the Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court. The monitoring of these courts shall be carried out by the Supreme Court of Pakistan,” said the notification, adding that the progress would be reviewed after every two months Initially, it said, old murder/narcotics cases are assigned to the model courts and qualified and dedicated staff shall be provided to these courts.