PESHAWAR: A lawyer on Saturday moved Peshawar High Court challenging its recent order of observing four working days a week by the judiciary.

Advocate Mohammad Atlas Khan filed a petition requesting the court to declare its order as illegal and withdraw the same for the sake of justice.

The petitioner also requested the court to issue a notification for keeping the courts open 24/7 hours and there should be no leave for the judicial officers and courts.

The petitioner has also sought interim relief requesting that till final disposal of the petition the impugned order may be suspended.

The petition filed through advocate Suleman Khan has made PHC registrar as respondent.

The PHC, through the said order on Mar 12, ordered some austerity and energy conservation measures.

It ordered that there should be four working days a week (Monday to Thursday) for regular court work as per working hours already notified.

The petitioner stated that through the impugned order, the court had declared three days off/leave in a week, which was against the independence of the judiciary.

He stated that the said act of the respondent was in blatant and flagrant violation of Article 37(d) of the Constitution, which provides that the state should ensure expeditious and cheap justice.

He contended that the impugned order was also in violation of several other provisions of the Constitution.

He stated that the said act of the respondent amounted to denial of justice.

He further stated that the judges were public servants as per different judgments of the superior courts and they should be providing services to the masses 24/7.

The petitioner claimed that he had no other remedy available except to approach the high court for declaring its order as illegal.

Published in Dawn, March 15th, 2026