KARACHI, July 24: The Sindh High Court sought comments from the Sindh Bar Council, the Sindh High Court Bar Association and the Karachi Bar Association on the creation of a judicial security agency as proposed by a petitioner.

The proposal was appreciated by federal government standing counsel Mahmood Alam Rizvi while Additional Advocate-General M. Ahmed Pirzada said he had neither notice nor a copy of the petition.

Chief Justice Sabihuddin Ahmed, who is hearing the petition at the head of a division bench, deplored the absence of Advocate-General Masood Noorani despite notice. He said security was a responsibility of the provincial government and the AG should explain his absence on the next date on Aug 15. A notice was also issued for that date to the inspector-general of police.

Petitioner Agha Ataullah Shah says the existing security arrangements for judges, judicial officers, court staff, lawyers and litigants were inadequate and a ‘judicial security system’ should be created ‘for foolproof protection’ of the members of the superior and subordinate judiciary and their families.

The personnel of the new agency could also help effect service and execution of orders.