ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed has called an emergency meeting of the National Judicial Policy Making Committee (NJPMC) on Thursday (March 19) to take stock of the coronavirus (COVID-19) situation and devise a strategy for the courts.

Presided over by the chief justice, the NJPMC meeting will be held at the Supreme Court building at 4pm on Thursday.

The NJPMC was set up under an ordinance in 2002 to coordinate and harmonise judicial policy within the court system and in coordination with the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP). The committee is headed by the Chief Justice of Pakistan while the chief justices of the Federal Shariat Court and the five high courts are its members.

The committee also makes recommendations for bringing about an improvement in the capacity and performance of the administration of justice, setting performance standards for judicial officers and persons associated with performance of judicial and quasi-judicial functions, improvement in the terms and conditions of service of judicial officers, court staff and to ensure skilled and efficient judiciary.

To minimise the spread of COVID-19, an announcement by the court office explained, the Supreme Court had been issuing circulars, guidelines and advisories from time to time for its staff, lawyers, litigants and security personnel.

Preventive steps

But in view of the gravity of the situation, a set of additional preventive measures in the vicinity of Supreme Court building has also been taken. And as a part of additional precautionary measures, the announcement said, the litigants represented by their counsel have been advised to avoid entering the Supreme Court premises to avoid overcrowding. However, respondents and in-person petitioners/parties may attend the court when summoned, the order added.

Meanwhile, a number of measures have been taken in the Supreme Court building in the wake of COVID-19 outbreak. Wash basins and liquid soap dispensers have been installed at all entry points.

Fumigation has been carried out in the entire building and biometric attendance has been suspended for the time being.

Medical personnel have been deputed at all entry points to take the temperature of every person regularly through infrared thermometers.

The employees have been advised to wash their hands properly before starting their work or after receiving any file or document, avoid shaking hands or physical contact with colleagues and to use face masks.

Published in Dawn, March 17th, 2020