CJP for formation of 120 new ACs for early disposal of corruption cases.

ISLAMABAD -- Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Gulzar Ahmed Wednesday asked the government for formation of 120 new accountability courts (ACs) for speedy disposal of pending corruption references within three months.

He asked the law secretary to set up new courts after getting approval from the authorities concerned.

The court also summoned the attorney general, prosecutor general and law secretary for the next hearing.

The court also sought suggestions from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman for the expeditious disposal of pending references.

A three-member bench of the apex court headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and comprised Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel and Justice Yahya Afridi, made these remarks while hearing the case regarding delay in trial of cases by the Accountability Courts in the light of Section 16 of the National Accountability Ordinance, 1999 requiring decision of NAB cases within 30 days.

The court in its order said five Accountability Courts were vacant in Pakistan whereas 1,226 cases were pending.

The bench said no reason had been given as to why the vacant posts had not been filled up till now. "We are unable to understand the rational or logic behind the courts vacant for long periods by the relevant authorities. More so when we see that the cases before the Accountability Court are to be decided in terms of law within thirty days. The courts keep lying vacant for even years and cases of that court remain pending," the court order stated.

The bench said the whole purpose of making of accountability law apparently seemed to be rendered futile if the courts were allowed to remain vacant.

The bench noted that the number of pendency of cases in the Accountability Court demand more than hundred number of judges/courts for dealing with and deciding these cases as such cases were being filed regularly and their numbers were also increasing while the numbers of courts were totally stagnant.

"In these circumstances we direct the law secretary to immediately seek instructions from the government on proposal of creating at least 120 Accountability Courts in Pakistan and to fill-up such courts with the judges and distribute all pending cases among them so that these cases were decided at fast pace and also in...