LAHORE, March 20: Governor Khalid Maqbool said on Wednesday that no adjournment of terrorism cases would be allowed at any special terrorist court and those found employing delaying tactics would be taken to task.
He was reported to have said while presiding over a meeting on law and order and the latest position of the cases being tried by the anti-terrorist courts.
Official sources quoted the governor as having said that those police functionaries failing to produce witnesses and the prosecutors found absent from courts would be put to task. No excuse for the delay of the cases would be tolerated and these be tried on a daily basis, he reportedly said.
Earlier, the governor announced that the Punjab government was hiring the services of experienced lawyers and prosecutors on a contract basis and posting another additional advocate-general to ensure the speedy trial of sectarian terrorism cases by 14 special anti-terrorism courts in the province.
He directed the Punjab advocate-general to point out hurdles in the way of the trials of terrorism cases so that the existing laws could immediately be amended accordingly.
Mr Maqbool said 14 courtrooms and residences were being constructed on a priority basis for the daily hearing of terrorism cases in jails.
He directed the provincial monitoring committee to send its progress report on the terrorism cases to him every week.
“Ensuring speedy trial of terrorism cases is a national service. Therefore, all officials concerned must dispense with their duties efficiently to put to task the killers of innocent people,” the governor said.
Earlier, he said the provincial government would leave no stone unturned in ensuring the earliest completion of all sectarian terrorism cases trials by pursuing them with all the seriousness and preparations.
The meeting was attended by Punjab Chief Secretary Imtiaz Masrur, governor’s principal secretary Tariq Mahmood, Home Secretary Brig Ejaz Shah, Advocate-General Maqbool Ellahi Malik, IGP Malik Asif Hayat and Additional IG Special Branch Saadatullah Khan.