The functioning of the civil courts in erstwhile Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) offers a glimmer of hope for justice in the tribal areas after 71 years.
The civil courts became functional today with pending criminal cases before the political administration being transferred to the courts.
Speaking to Naya Daur, journalist Murtaza Solangi said that “over a century old inhuman colonial system riddled with brutalities came to an end today”, while referring to the abolition of draconian Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR).
The senior journalist thanked the outgoing parliament for abolishing the “barbaric” FCR.
28 judicial officers, including seven district and sessions judges, seven senior civil judges and 14 additional sessions and districts judges, have been appointed as members of district judiciary to seven merged tribal districts. Public prosecutors have also been posted on an immediate basis.
Referring to the new judicial system, Murtaza Solangi said: “today, the makeshift court system starts the baby steps.”
The members of the new judicial system have been trained in accordance with the customs of the tribal areas.
Solangi also said that there is a long way ahead as “corrupt” politicians and bureaucrats, who benefited from the old system, would keep trying to bring it back.
“Those who benefited from this century-old system will continue to bring it back. A bad and corrupt system is always nourished, nurtured and maintained by its beneficiaries.”
However, he maintained that it is the duty of free press, civil society, an independent judiciary and above all the parliament to remain vigilant so that old system doesn’t return.
“A system that operates on collective punishment of the community for the crime of an individual and empowers those who are unaccountable to the people, must not be allowed to return,” he emphasised.
The civil courts became functional today with pending criminal cases before the political administration being transferred to the courts.
Speaking to Naya Daur, journalist Murtaza Solangi said that “over a century old inhuman colonial system riddled with brutalities came to an end today”, while referring to the abolition of draconian Frontier Crimes Regulation (FCR).
The senior journalist thanked the outgoing parliament for abolishing the “barbaric” FCR.
28 judicial officers, including seven district and sessions judges, seven senior civil judges and 14 additional sessions and districts judges, have been appointed as members of district judiciary to seven merged tribal districts. Public prosecutors have also been posted on an immediate basis.
Referring to the new judicial system, Murtaza Solangi said: “today, the makeshift court system starts the baby steps.”
The members of the new judicial system have been trained in accordance with the customs of the tribal areas.
Solangi also said that there is a long way ahead as “corrupt” politicians and bureaucrats, who benefited from the old system, would keep trying to bring it back.
“Those who benefited from this century-old system will continue to bring it back. A bad and corrupt system is always nourished, nurtured and maintained by its beneficiaries.”
However, he maintained that it is the duty of free press, civil society, an independent judiciary and above all the parliament to remain vigilant so that old system doesn’t return.
“A system that operates on collective punishment of the community for the crime of an individual and empowers those who are unaccountable to the people, must not be allowed to return,” he emphasised.