September 26, 2008	Friday	Ramazan 25, 1429

RAWALPINDI, Sept 25: Majority of undertrial prisoners file bail petitions with different courts ahead of Eidul Fitr with hopes to enjoy the religious festival with their families, it has been observed.

The surge in bail applications is evident from the data collected by this scribe from the Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi bench and the district and sessions courts.

During the first three weeks of Ramazan, more than 500 petitions had been filed with the LHC and some 1,000 with the sessions judge and area magistrates. These numbers are far more than those recorded in normal days.

The chances of obtaining bail in offences of lesser nature are 100 per cent during Ramazan as the courts adopt a lenient view and let the undertrial prisoners celebrate Eid with their loved ones.

On Thursday, 50-year-old Barkat Bibi was waiting outside the judicial lockup in the district courts to meet her 20-years-old son, Bilal, who had been behind bars for the last two months on charges of possessing some 400 grams charas.

Barkat Bibi said she would meet her son when he would be produced before an additional sessions judge.

She said she had moved the bail application of her son and hoped he would be with them on Eid.

“The courts usually take a lenient view and grant bails in offences such as theft, peddling of less than 1kg of drugs, quarrels, etc.,” said Rafaqat Bashir Awan advocate.