MANSEHRA: MPA Munir Hussain Lughmani, who is the member of the Judicial Commission of Pakistan, on Sunday demanded of the federal government to enhance the strength of the Peshawar High Court and its four circuit benches to 30 to help end backlog of cases.

“PHC and its four circuit benches have been facing shortage of judges, and the federal government should increase the number to 30 under Article 175-A of the Constitution,” he said while speaking to mediapersons here.

Mr Lughmani said the Constitution stipulated that the strength of PHC and its circuit benches should be 20, but currently six seats were lying vacant.

“As the former Fata has been merged into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, so the strength of judges should be increased to a minimum of 30,” he said.

MPA Lughmani says high court, its circuit benches face shortage of jurists

The JCP member said to end backlog of cases the federal government should immediately appoint more judges to the high court.

“A JCP meeting held with Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa in the chair on May 3 recommended the appointment of judges in accordance with existing rules,” he said.

KILLED: A married woman was allegedly killed by her son for honour in Chorkalan area of Oghi tehsil on Sunday, the police said.

“We have arrested a youngster who killed his mother in the name of honour,” Anwar Khan, the Investigation officer in the case, told Dawn on Sunday.

The slain woman’s body was taken to the Civil Hospital Oghi for completing medico-legal formalities.

A party led by Oghi SHO Waheed Murad raided a house in Chorkalan village and arrested the boy, 18.

“The boy confessed to his crime during preliminary investigation, stating that he killed his mother over her suspicious character,” the investigation officer said.

Mr Khan said the slain woman, mother of four, had eloped with a man, a resident of Sharwan area of Abbottabad, some four months ago and settled in Civil Lines area of Karachi.

“Our team moved to Karachi and arrested the two and produced them before the senior civil judge in Oghi, who sent the woman to Darul Aman,” he said.

Mr Khan said the judge ordered the woman’s release from Darul Aman on April 24, after her husband and other family members moved a bail application.

The investigation officer said the FIR was lodged under section 302/311 of PPC.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2024