PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Dost Mohammad Khan on Saturday stated that despite the superior judiciary taking notice of rampant corruption in different departments the federal and provincial governments failed to check this menace.

The chief justice stated that corruption had increased manifold as in past people would misappropriate money in millions whereas now corruption cases involved billions of rupees.

“Governments have been inducting officials on political considerations in anti-corruption bodies, including the National Accountability Bureau, Federal Investigation Agency and anti-corruption establishment, which has been affecting the performance of these institutions,” said the chief justice while addressing a ceremony organised in connection with handing over keys of official vehicles to additional district and sessions judges. He also addressed the concluding ceremony of a training arranged for judges of subordinate judiciary at Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Judicial Academy.

Justice Dost Mohammad Khan stated that it was need of the hour for the government to take concrete steps for curbing corruption as the state institutions had been facing decay because of it. He said that it was necessary to induct honest and competent persons on merit in anti-corruption bodies so that they could play their role without any fear or favour.

The chief justice stated that the superior judiciary had been on its own trying to combat corruption so as to put the country on road to development. However, he added that the judiciary alone could not fight this war and all the institutions should play role for upholding supremacy of constitution and eradication of corruption.

Justice Dost Mohammad emphasised on the judicial officers to focus on providing justice to people as they had been bestowed a sacred responsibility. He stated that the high court had taken up the issue with the provincial government for provision of official vehicles and residential plots to judges and the plan was expected to materialise within six months.

The chief justice hailed the role of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Judicial Academy in imparting training to judges and other officials attached with criminal justice system. He added that all the institutions attached with criminal justice system should be developed on scientific lines.

Director general of judicial academy Hayat Ali Shah stated that the academy had imparted training to judges in several batches and these trainings helped them in improvement of their judicial work.