LARKANA: Chief Justice Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui of the Sindh High Court has said that a mediation hall would be established within the Larkana circuit building, and advised the legal fraternity to opt for settling rival litigants’ disputes through mediation instead of encouraging them to move court.

This, he said, would not only minimise the piling up cases in the high court but could also help advocates avoid their practice getting affected.

The CJ was addressing a reception hosted in his honour by the Sindh High Court Bar Association (SHCBA) after inaugurating accounts & record branch in the building on Thursday.

“We have found a solution to the piling up of cases through mediation, which is in practice globally,” he said.

The chief justice hinted that the cases which could more likely be settled through mediation might be those between a couple, among siblings or they might pertain to child custody, partnership etc.

Requirement of more judges

CJ Siddiqui welcomed the suggestion put forward by the Bar President, Ghulam Dastagir Shahani, regarding increase in the number of judges at the Larkana circuit. “You have asked for three judges to sit here but I am planning to have four,” said the chief justice.

Says mediation hall at Larkana seat will be set up soon

Therefore, three judges would be here at Larkana seat, he said, and explained that he had planned to have one division bench and two other benches — one for civil and the other for criminal cases — to work here regularly. “We are trying to raise the strength of judges [at the SHC] to 40 and hopefully three or four judges would be here,” he said.

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He also announced that the vacant seats of the anti-corruption court and anti-terrorism court would be filled after [winter] vacation or soon after his return to Karachi.

“This land has produced best judges; and presently two learned judges are sitting before you; Inshallah four judges would be here amongst you,” he said.

Chief Justice Siddiqui exhorted lawyers to prepare their cases finely and assist the judiciary.

In his opening remarks, the CJ said: “This land is mine and I shall give time to it. After elevation as a judge in 2012, my first roster was at Larkana; and I’m happy to have seen a peaceful and harmonious Bar here. I acknowledge whatever love I had received here, is no less than I had from the Karachi Bar … I proudly say this is my Bar,” the CJ remarked.

More facilities pledged

The chief justice announced that a modern consultation hall and a canteen would be made available here if space was identified. A car parking area would also be built at the building, he added.

Regarding the ongoing work on a court being set up in Dokri, he said the civil work would be completed within a month’s time. He said advocates would be provided facility of online study in library through the PLD subscription so that they could read online instead of turning book leaves.

The reception was attended among others by Justices Muhammed Saleem Jessar, Shamsuddin Abbasi, Zulfikar Sangi, Larkana District and Sessions Judge Simkan Hussain Mughal, District Bar Association President Habibullah Ghouri, members of the lower judiciary and senior advocates, besides office-bearers of SHCBA and DBAs.

SHCBA President Ghulam Dastagir Shahani presented the traditional gifts of Ajrak and Topi to the chief justice and other judges.

Published in Dawn, December 20th, 2024