ISLAMABAD: The Chief Justice Justice Gulzar Ahmed on Monday visited various buildings along with the Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice in order to find out appropriate premises for shifting the Islamabad district courts until construction of its own building in G-11/4.

Since its establishment about four decades ago, the Islamabad district courts are working in makeshift arrangements as shops in Sector F-8 Markaz are being utilised as chambers and courtrooms of judges of the subordinate judiciary.

Ironically, the chambers of judges lack basic facilities even there is no toilet for female judges in their respective chambers.

IHC administration has taken up upgradation of district courts with the law ministry and the Islamabad administration for the last several months.

The law ministry on May 16 issued an office memorandum referring to various directions of the Supreme Court regarding “shifting of district courts to a suitable location in the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT).”

The law ministry “in coordination with the Islamabad High Court and Pak PWD, is in process of designing a purpose-built building for district courts in G-11/4, Islamabad.

“For this purpose, a piece of land measuring 4.17 acres has already been acquired from the Capital Development Authority (CDA),” the memorandum said.

The construction of the building and shifting of Islamabad District Courts which are surrounded y shopping plazas, hotel and grocery stores and the landscape does not depict a decent and graceful seat of justice, will take about four to five years, it said adding keeping in view the deplorable condition of the present premises of courts and to provide relief to litigants it is imperative to immediately shift courts to a suitable location.

Subsequently, the law ministry asked the housing ministry, chief commissioner and CDA chairman “to identify a suitable public or private building in having space to accommodate at least 30 courts for immediate possession and shifting of district courts from their present location till the completion of building in G-11/4.

During the search visits of the CJ and IHC CJ for the temporary shifting of the district courts the chief commissioner Amir Ali Ahmed also accompanied them.

Published in Dawn, May 19th, 2020