PESHAWAR, Oct 21: The police department has not been producing under-trial prisoners before local courts since US airstrikes on Afghanistan began on Oct 7 as most of the policemen have been performing special duties pertaining to maintenance of law and order.

Even police officers have not been appearing before the courts as prosecution witnesses.

This situation has been adversely affecting the courts’ working for the last two weeks.

As the government expected severe reaction from the people to the US airstrikes,it has deputed policemen as well as jawans of the Frontier Corps on all the roads and at sensitive points.

The lock-up in the sessions court here has been wearing a deserted look. Without the production of under-trial prisoners, which is compulsory under the Criminal Procedure Code, the courts have to change dates in different cases. Even after the completion of judicial custody period, the accused could not be produced before the courts as policemen were not available to take them there.

“The district and sessions judge should, at least, send some magistrates to the central prison where they could hear cases of petty nature and release prisoners on bail ,” suggested Advocate Noor Alam, chairman of the free legal aid cell, Voice of Prisoners.

He said the US war against terrorism might continue for many years. Keeping this in view, he added, the government should chalk out a proper strategy to tackle the issue—-production of under-trial prisoners before the courts.

CONCERN VOICED: Expressing concern over killing of civilians in Afghanistan, the chief of Pakistan Awami Party, Fanoos Gujar, here on Sunday asked the US government to confine its airstrikes to infrastructure of terrorism.