KARACHI: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry on Saturday expressed dissatisfaction over the slow disposal of cases in anti-terrorism courts, delay in submission of charge sheets and frequent adjournments being sought and granted to prosecuting and defence counsel in trial courts.

According to a press release, the chief justice was presiding over a high-level meeting to monitor the performance of ATCs and the role of investigation and prosecution agencies at the Karachi Registry of the apex court.

He said the Supreme Court set up a mechanism for monitoring the performance of the ATC for the quick disposal of the cases and such mechanism was meant to remove handicaps and irritants in the way of expeditious disposal of the cases.

The CJ said the menace of terrorism and the situation in Karachi came up for consideration in the five-member SC bench that issued categorical directions to the provincial police and the director-general of Rangers for apprehending culprits and timely investigation in the cases and their effective prosecution so that those found guilty were sent behind the bar.

He asked the security agencies to follow the directions of the SC to the effect that there must not be any 'no-go area' and if any such area was found or credibly reported, the police and Rangers shall taken strong and decisive action to eliminate it and if necessary the DG Rangers shall personally lead the operation in such areas.

Sindh High Court Chief Justice Mushir Alam and the in-charge judge of the ATCs presented the facts and figures in respect of ATCs.

According to the report, 1,124 cases were pending before 11 ATCs in the province out of which some 323 cases are pending in Karachi alone.

The in-charge judge assured the meeting that now more ATC judge will be appointed and these courts become functional and the disposal figure will increase.

The press release said that it was pointed out in the meeting that although ATCs were deciding the cases the deterrent fact of law was missing on account of pending mercy petitions of the convicts by the executive.

It said that the meeting was told that since 1998 some 30 convicts under the Anti Terrorism Act and four convicts under the ordinary laws were awaiting execution and on account of such unusual delay in execution, the deterrent effect of the law is missing.

Attorney General Maulvi Anwar-ulHaq undertook to look into the matter and expeditiously decide the mercy petitions so that course of administration of justice was not impeded.

It was stressed that the ATC law was fairly stringent with provisions of time bound decision in the ATC cases, primarily to check the incidents of terrorism and violence by punishing the culprits and thereby creating a deterrent effect on society.

Sindh IG Mushtaq Shah produced a record of the past five months from July24 till date submitting that total 240 cases were registered and 291 accused persons under the anti-terrorism law and 130 cases were charge-sheeted in the courts.

The meeting took notice of the reports to the effect that some influential accused persons arrested by Rangers were given benefit and such accused persons got released on bail. The chief justice observed that such leniency was unwarranted and against the law.

The IG said the government initiated disciplinary proceeding against SP Umar Khitab on allegation of showing partiality and favour to an accused Mohammad Salim and that other such complaints would also be investigated.

The provincial police chief assured that police officers responsible for showing any favour, partiality or leniency because of political influence or otherwise would be dealt strictly under the law.

It was observed that the SC's judgment on Karachi law and order situation laid to relative peace by abolishing no-go areas, reducing incidents of violence and targeted killings and street crimes which caused normalcy and the revival of business activities.

It was stressed that Rangers and police must coordinate and work with full zeal and determination by strictly following the law in resisting any political or ethnic or sectarian pressure, whatsoever.

The meeting said that performance of ATCs must also improve with effective witness protection programme and ensuring that prosecution and defence lawyers regularly attend the trial, come prepared and avoid seeking adjournments.