ISLAMABAD:
Islamabad High Court Judge Mohsin Akhtar Kayani on Wednesday ordered that the Rules of Practice and Procedure of the High Court be uploaded on the court’s website within 48 hours and copies be provided to the Islamabad High Court and district bar associations.
The directive was issued during a hearing of the case when the court asked a lawyer about the Rules of Practice and Procedure. The petitioner’s lawyer said he was unaware of the details of the rules and was filing an application to obtain them.
“We made those rules from the High Court that we ourselves did not receive,” Justice Kayani commented. “I am a judge and I did not receive them, how would you receive them?”
The judge noted that although the full court had approved the rules, they had not been made public. “The Rules of Practice and Procedure are a secret document,” he observed.
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Justice Kayani directed the lawyer to write to the registrar to obtain the rules. When the lawyer said he had contacted the Ministry of Justice and would also submit an application, the judge expressed concern about the delays.
“If there is any document here, the registrar does not deliver it for three months in a row,” he said.
Emphasizing his order, Justice Kayani said: “I have ordered that the rules be uploaded on the website within 48 hours.” He warned that criminal proceedings could be initiated if the order was not carried out and said he would summon the registrar if necessary.
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When the lawyer requested that the next hearing be set for January 29, the judge responded: “I don’t know if I will be here on the 29th or not.” The court later adjourned the hearing.
