ISLAMABAD: To speed up and modernise the criminal justice working, Lahore High Court’s Justice Muhammad Amjad Rafiq has advocated the use of WhatsApp for efficient conversation among police and prosecutors.
The Learned Judge’s comments came during the hearing a bail plea was filed. The court felt the undue wastage of time in the meeting due requirements.
Judicial Time Must Be Respected
Justice Rafiq criticised the old practice of bodily transporting case files, highlighting how such inefficiencies waste treasured courtroom time.
He took exception to a woman deputy prosecutor inability to respond promptly due to late submission of data.
In response, the court summoned Punjab’s prosecutor general and issued directives for systemic reforms.
The judge ordered that law enforcement officials should produce case summaries and development reports with prosecutors via WhatsApp or other approved digital method at the least sooner or later earlier than hearings.
He also mandated that the prosecutor general set up a verbal exchange mechanism via gathering and sharing WhatsApp numbers of officials liable for producing statistics.
This might make certain actual-time coordination and timely information sharing earlier than court documents.
Accountability and Independence of Prosecutors
Justice Rafiq similarly emphasised the impartial role of prosecutors as mentioned inside the Punjab Criminal Prosecution Service Act, 2006.
He burdened that delays resulting from inefficiency or negligence need to result in disciplinary motion.
The directive aims to enhance prosecution performance and decrease court delays that avert justice.
Progress in May 9 Cases
Meanwhile, an anti-terrorism court persevered hearings within the May 09 rebel instances.
ATC Judge Manzer Ali Gill recorded the pass-examination of 12 prosecution witnesses in cases regarding the burning of Shadman police station and police vehicles close to Jinnah House.
PTI leaders Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Dr. Yasmin Rashid were considered as accused.
Fourteen people have been declared proclaimed offenders for evading trial.
Further court cases are scheduled for July 28.
