APROPOS your editorial ‘Access to justice’ (Nov 18).

Several recommendations and suggestions were made through judicial policies developed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan to reduce the massive pendency of cases the judiciary currently faces in the country. But those directions were not followed in letter and in spirit at the lower level.

The people responsible for providing justice invariably duck their responsibility, forcing the common people to feel they are the losers in seeking justice through the courts of law and to prefer alternative systems.

If a common citizen takes the matter to court, it seems he has been given punishment. The influential one uses money, threats and violence to silence the weaker party and lodges fake FIRs in collusion with police to put the genuine party under mental torture and financial burden.

Cases of rich, powerful and influential people are heard and decided through speedy trials whereas ordinary litigants keep running from pillar to post to get justice.

One wonders who is going to ensure that the judicial system in the country responds in a manner that it restores the people’s confidence in the administration of justice.

Abu Ameen
London

Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2015