CJP again refuses to shut down courts
March 24, 2020 01:25 PM
Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed on Tuesday again rejected the request to suspend the hearing of all cases due to the coronavirus pandemic in the country.
The request was made by Supreme Court Bar Association president Syed Qalb-e-Hassan who argued before a two-member bench that the apex court should suspend all the proceedings for two weeks.
However, the court observed that the courts were working in Europe although the situation was very serious there.
Rejecting the request, the chief justice, however, said no cases would be dismissed over no-appearance.
He observed, “We cannot shut this important institution,” adding that they had to stay hear symbolically.
Earlier last week, the chief justice, while hearing another case, had observed that the courts would not be shut come what may, as he criticised the government over its failure to tackle the situation arising out of the coronavirus pandemic.
“The government has taken no step to combat the spread of the virus in the country. We have been requested to halt judicial proceedings but the courts will not be shut down at any cost,” he remarked.