KARACHI: The Sindh High Court has directed lawyers, litigants and its staff to wear face masks, gloves and maintain social distancing in courtrooms to curtail the spread of Covid-19.

According to a circular issued by the registrar of the SHC, in continuation of earlier directives and preventive measures and in the wake of recent spread of Covid-19 at an alarming rate and increase in number of asymptomatic Covid-19 patients in the province, Chief Justice Ahmed Ali M. Sheikh issued further directions.

The lawyers appearing in the SHC are advised to wear face masks, hand gloves, avoid overcrowding and maintain social distancing in courtrooms while litigants will attend the courts when summoned/called while wearing such safety gear, it added.

Anyone else not party in the cases fixed for hearing will not be allowed to sit in the courtrooms and unnecessarily visit the offices and branches of the SHC.

The circular further said that sanitizers will be made available in every courtroom where cases were being proceeded and the lawyers were requested to use sanitizers before the hearings.

The court associates concerned will take steps to avoid overcrowding and will not allow any private person to enter courtrooms unless called by courts.

The SHC staff and officers are also directed to wear masks and gloves and maintain social distancing and also ensure that before their entrance in the building they must properly wash their hands.

It further said that the windows and gates of every courtroom, branch and office will remain open for proper ventilation and air conditioners will remain closed while fumigation will be done daily to disinfect every courtroom and office.

The litigants will not be allowed to unnecessarily visit the courtroom and branches of SHC for safety and security of public at large and the budget branch will make proper arrangements of sanitizers, gloves and provide the same to all staff and officers of SHC, it concluded.

Published in Dawn, June 7th, 2020