LAHORE: Lahore High Court Chief Justice Aalia Neelum on Monday expressed displeasure at repeated non-appearance of the attorney general for Pakistan in a matter regarding the implementation of the Anti-Rape Act (Investigation and Trial) 2021.

The chief justice was heading a full bench seized with the matter along with Justice Farooq Haider and Justice Ali Zia Bajwa.

Punjab Advocate General Amjad Pervez, Prosecutor General Syed Farhad Ali Shah and other government and police officials appeared before the bench.

At the outset of the hearing, the chief justice inquired, “Where is the attorney general?”

At this, Additional Attorney General Mirza Nasar Ahmad stated that Attorney General Usman Mansoor Awan was busy before the Supreme Court, Islamabad.

The bench remarked that everyone else was present, except the attorney general.

The judges said if the attorney general was in the Supreme Court, the LHC bench should have been informed a day earlier.

“Don’t compel us to go to the extent of inquiring about the attorney general’s engagements in the Supreme Court,” said a member of the bench, adding that the conduct of the principal law officer was not appropriate at all.

The bench further noted that the reply submitted before the court was on behalf of the law and justice department whereas it should have come from the attorney general’s office.

Chief Justice Neelum asked why the anti-rape law, which already exists, had not been implemented till date.

The additional attorney general stated that rules under the law had been formulated. He pointed out that practically the implementation of the law was not the responsibility of the federal government, but rather that of the provincial governments.

Chief Justice Neelum observed that national media did not highlight the issue enough, but the international media brought more attention to it.

“Had there been no international pressure, would this legislation have even been implemented?” she asked the law officer.

The bench observed that the attorney general should have appeared in the court to present a report on the matter.

The chief justice remarked, “This is an extremely important issue, and the whole society is suffering because of it”.

The bench adjourned the hearing till April 14, with a direction to the attorney general to ensure his appearance without fail.

Published in Dawn, April 8th, 2025