ISLAMABAD, Sept 1: Federal Capital has got seven new special courts as the Prime Minister Raja Pervez Ashraf has approved the summary for the establishment of these courts.

After the establishment of seven special courts the total number of special courts established in Islamabad, after the start of Islamabad High Court (IHC) since January 2011, has increased to 9.

Two accountability courts have already been established in the Islamabad area, out of which one court is working after the appointment of an accountability judge, while the process for the appointment of another accountability judge is in the process for which IHC administration has forwarded the name of district and sessions judge Atiqur Rehman to the federal ministry of law and justice who would issue the notification for the appointment, after seeking approval from the prime minister.

The newly established seven courts, include anti-terrorism, banking, special courts (anti corruption), drug, customs and labour, a senior IHC official told Dawn.

These courts would start functioning at the newly established federal judicial complex at sector G-11, soon after the appointment of their respective judges, he said.

Nespak, the contractor of the complex has already informed the IHC administration that under its direction the construction of the complex has been completed and the building is ready for immediate commencement of the special courts.

In case the prime minister approves the establishment of the special courts on time and the federal government notifies the appointment of the judges, the courts would start working from June.

The IHC administration on February 15, 2011 had notified 11 special courts and tribunals including labour, banking, drug, consumer, accountability and anti-terrorism, special judges (anti-corruption) and customs and environment protection tribunals.

IHC official said that the administration would send the names for the presiding officers of these courts to the federal government through ministry of law and justice for their appointment as judges of special court.

According to him, the administration would assign the special courts to its existing judicial officers working in the Islamabad subordinate judiciary and in the IHC administration.

The process for the appointment of 29 additional sessions’ judge and senior civil judge is also in progress and the newly appointed judicial officer would also be appointed as judge special courts, through ministry of law and justice.

The ministry of law and justice would issue the notification for the appointment of judges’ special court, after getting approval from the prime minister, he added.

He said the accountability court had already been established and functioning in the federal capital in the first phase, while in the second phase, the seven courts would be established and in the third phase environment protection and other tribunals would also be established in Islamabad.

IHC spokesman Mohammad Tariq told Dawn that after the commencement of special courts, the cases related to Islamabad pending in the special courts of Rawalpindi will be transferred to Islamabad.

According to him, all the cases including high profile terrorism cases and cases related to corruption as well as ordinary cases, which belong to Islamabad Capital Territory would be transferred in the special courts of Islamabad.