December 31, 2002	Tuesday	Shawwal 26, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 30: Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights has sought recommendations from departments concerned for the establishment of Federal High Court and anti-terrorist court in the capital, sources told Dawn.

The sources said government decided to set up the courts in light of public demand. Earlier, residents of Islamabad had no other option but to go to Lahore High Court, Rawalpindi Bench, for appeal against the judgment of district and sessions courts, they added.

“The District Bar Association Islamabad and representatives of the residents were demanding of the government for a long time to set up the high court for convenience of the litigants.”

The sources said president of the association, Ishtiaq Ahmed Raja, and secretary general, Tariq Mehmood Jehangiri, approached the former law minister, Khalid Ranjha, to demand establishment of the courts.

The government has suggested to set up the Federal High Court in the new court complex and asked the officials concerned to submit recommendations in this regard, they added.

Meanwhile, the district courts in Islamabad will open from January 1 to start regular work.

The courts were closed for winter vacations from December 23 for a period of one week. During the vacations a judicial magistrate and an additional district and sessions judge worked as duty judges.