KARACHI: The Sindh High Court on Wednesday decided that in view of the coronavirus crisis, only cases of urgent nature will be heard and decided.

According to a circular issued by the registrar of SHC, in the light of coronavirus pandemic, chief justice Ahmed Ali M. Shaikh has ordered that only urgent matters will be heard and decided while in case of absence of any lawyer in any matter, no adverse order will be passed.

This is subject to the decision of the meeting of the National Judicial (policy making) Committee (NJPMC) scheduled to be held on Thursday at the Supreme Court in Islamabad.

Earlier, the Sindh High Court Bar Association advised its members to avoid attending court proceedings on March 18 and 19 as a precautionary measure.

SHCBA secretary Haseeb Jamali had sent a letter to the chief justice of the SHC requesting that no adverse orders were passed in any of the cases fixed in the courts during these days.

Meanwhile, the Sindh Bar Council said that apart from urgent cases, all lawyers of the province will stay away from the high court and subordinate judiciary of the province on Wednesday and Thursday.

The newly-elected vice chairman of the SBC Haider Imam Rizvi said that in view of coronavirus crisis in the country, carrying out routine court proceedings may endanger lawyers, litigants and judges.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2020