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IT was most heartening to read the Sindh High Court Circular No: GAZ/XII.Z.14 (HC)(I) dated 16th October 2012, in which it is stated that preference be given to the cases of senior citizens, i.e. persons aged above 65 years, widows who have not remarried and orphans whose both parents have expired.
Further, it was interesting to read the letter ‘Plea to the SHC Chief Justice’ (Aug 23, 2014) by M. Jamil,70, wherein he mentions that the serial number given to him is usually from 60 to 100 and by the time the court reaches these numbers, the court gets up for the day.
Justice delayed is justice denied. I am an old man now and I have been contesting a case against illegal occupation of my property in the DHA since 1996 in the High Court of Sindh. To silence me, two fake FIRs were also filed against me.
My appeal was admitted for regular hearing in April 2013 and as I am a senior citizen, my application for Fast Track Hearing was granted in January 2014, but unfortunately my appeal does not proceed as it is always virtually at the bottom of the cause-list.
I suggest the points listed below for consideration of the Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court so as to give them respect, peace of mind, dignity and a feeling that the judiciary and the society has not ignored them and left them high and dry.
An hour be allocated each day in the court to hear cases of the people mentioned in the SHC circular dated Oct 16, 2012.
Alternatively, a single HC judge and also an HC appeal bench ought to be constituted to hear cases on a full-time basis to which priority has been granted and red file cover given in accordance with the SHC Circular of 16th October 2012.
Red File Cover Cases should be given priority in the daily cause lists.
Red File Cover Cases should be heard, decided and orders passed on them within threeto four months so as to alleviate the suffering of senior citizens, widows and orphans.
Red File Cover Cases should not be left at the discretionary powers of any clerk to fix the next date of hearing and the next date ought to be given automatically after a week as per the SHC Circular dated 16th October 2012.
I hope the Chief justice , Sindh High Court, would do the needful.
Haroon Zia Malik
Karachi
Published in Dawn, November 1st , 2014
