ABBOTTABAD, Jan 8: The Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan on Saturday visited the newly-established civil courts at Havelian and addressed the members of the local bar.

The bar members thanked the PHC chief justice for establishing courts of two civil judges/judicial magistrates in Havelian.

Speaking on the occasion Justice Afzal remarked that the establishment of courts at Havelian was part of his efforts to provide justice to the litigant masses at their doorsteps. He added that there were 1,200 cases pending when the subordinate courts were set up in Havelian, which had now been drastically reduced to 600 cases.

The strength of the local bar was also raised to 40 as a result of the new courts, which have been temporarily set up on the premises of TMA.

Mr Afzal informed the bar members that the high court was in the process of acquiring land or separate premises for the purpose of housing the courts.

He said he had contacted the provincial government for allocating sufficient funds, adding, a PC-I of Rs1.57 million had already been sent to the provincial authorities.

The bar members apprised Mr Afzal of the litigants’ problems in getting the petty amounts like process, commission and pre-emption fees deposited.

The chief justice directed the registrar of the court to look into the matter and facilitate the litigant public to deposit the fees in Havelian. He said the Peshawar High Court would establish similar courts in other small stations in the province.