ISLAMABAD: Islamabad High Court (IHC) Chief Justice Athar Minallah inaugurated the Litigants Facilitation Centre at the new high court building on Wednesday.

The shifting of the IHC is likely to start next month from G-10 to Constitution Avenue.

Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Law Minister Sardar Ayaz Sadiq said lawyers had always stood up for the rule of law. He said he was delighted to attend the inauguration of the facilitation centre and greeted the legal fraternity on achieving this milestone.

He also congratulated Justice Minallah and Justice Aamer Farooq for their elevation as Supreme Court judge and IHC chief justice, respectively.

Addressing participants, Justice Minallah said the judiciary had been facing multiple challenges and construction of the IHC building would provide better environment to the bar and bench. However, he said if this would not contribute to redressal of litigants’ grievances such measures would be mere a futile exercise.

He said the litigants did not have full faith in judiciary, but one could not change this system overnight.

Justice Minallah said he took the government on board for judicial reforms under which the judiciary would not be immune from accountability.

In 2012, the Capital Development Authority had approved allotment of five acres for the IHC building. Presently, IHC is functioning in a building in G-10, which was originally intended to house the district courts.

Published in Dawn, November 3rd, 2022