PESHAWAR, Nov 5 The Peshawar High Court`s Chief Justice Tariq Pervez Khan has proposed functioning of high court in the evening and has approached the federal government to sanction extra remuneration for the attached staff.

“The chief justice and other judges of the high court have volunteered to work during late hours for disposal of cases, but in order to compensate the staff attached with the judges, the federal government has been approached to sanction extra remuneration for them,” said PHC Registrar Qalandar Ali Khan.

Addressing a media briefing here on Wednesday, the registrar stated that the sanctioned strength of high court had been increased from 15 to 20, but the present working strength was 12 out of which two judges each had been working at circuit benches at Dera Ismail Khan and Abbottabad.

Mr Khan informed that on high court level around 13,242 cases were pending in November 2007 and up to the month of September 2008 10,940 more cases were instituted increasing the total number of pending cases to 24,182, out of which 8,024 were disposed of, leaving a balance of 16,158.He added that the highest disposal of 1,242 cases was during month of September 2008, after Chief Justice Tariq Pervez Khan and senior judges of the high court took oath in early September.

“At the district`s level, on both sessions and civil sides, total pendency during the month of November 2007 was 183,783, to which 277,344 cases were added through institutions up to September 2008, making total of 461,117, out of which 248,550 were adjudicated upon,” Mr Qalandar Ali Khan said.

The complaint cell at the high court, he stated, against judicial officers received 801 complaints out of which 649 were disposed of by providing relief to the complainants including under trial prisoners, women and juveniles.He added that the cell was working under the direct supervision of the chief justice and due to his personal interest years old and lingering problems of the people had been resolved by extending the role of complaint cell to the grievances of general public against other institutions.

Explaining the effectiveness of the cell, Mr Khan stated widow of a person named Rabnawaz Khan, having pension case of her late husband pending since 1984, was provided relief through release of her pension in the shortest possible time when the aged lady submitted an application on plain paper without adopting formal course.

The registrar informed that data of pending cases had almost been computerized and LCD screens had been installed at different points in the high court to show court proceedings on screen for the convenience of lawyers and general public.

About the Access to Justice Programme, the registrar stated that the province took the lead in utilising maximum funds under the programme through construction of judicial complexes at Peshawar, Bannu, Lakki Marwat and Swabi, besides 80 residences for judicial officers in different districts of the province.

The registrar stated that the chief justice has been taking keen interest in the good conduct of the judicial officers through issuance of directives and circular letters particularly focusing on punctuality and curbing the tendency of availing unnecessary leave.

“The performance/working of the district judiciary is regularly monitored by the high court through the office of Member Inspection Team. The district courts submit monthly statements of pendency, institutions and disposal, which are scrutinized in the high court, and necessary instructions are issued on the direction of the chief justice,” Mr Khan stated.

He informed that recently the chief justice had visualised policy of monitoring and supervision by the district and sessions judge in addition to the overall superintendence and control of the high court. In order to make the system more effective, the province has been divided into four zones, each zone having a liaison officer in the high court, with whom the district judiciary could interact for the purpose of improvement in disposal of cases as well as future development of the judicial administration.

Moreover, he added that on the directives of the chief justice judicial officers had regularly been visiting prisons in their respective districts and deciding cases of prisoners involved in petty crimes.