PRESS RELEASE

A meeting of representatives of the Pakistan Bar Council, the Punjab Bar Council, the Lahore High Court Bar Association and the Lahore Bar Association, was held today, in premises of the Lahore High Court Bar Association, with Mr. Abid Saqi, Vice-Chairman, Pakistan Bar Council, in the Chair. The participants expressed their deep concern on the rapid spreading of Corona Virus in the Country and emphasized the need of taking all possible steps by the Government and its different Agencies/Authorities for effectively controlling the infectious virus so as to save the health and lives of the citizens.

The meeting while appreciating the decision taken by the Islamabad High Court under directions of its Hon’ble Chief Justice Mr. Justice Athar Minallah, resolved to request the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan and all the Chief Justices of other four High Courts to take similar decisions and issue directions for reducing the possibility of further spreading of Corona Virus and to minimize its effects upon litigant public, the Lawyers, the Court officials and para legal staff, by curtailing the judicial work of the Supreme Court as well as of the High Courts, and fixing only the following category of cases:-

(i)    Pre-arrest and post-arrest Bails;
(ii)    Habeas Corpus Petitions or detention matters;
(iii)    Urgent petitions seeking injunctions/stay orders involving imminent threat or irreparable loss; &
(iv)    Guardian matters pertaining to custody of children;

Rest of the judicial work should remain suspended at least upto 5th April, 2020 or until further Orders to be issued by the competent authorities of the Supreme Court as well as the High Courts.

SECRETARY