Juvenile Court consults Chief Justice over judiciary standstill

Juvenile Court has today requested Chief Justice Ahmed Faiz Hussain for an official opinion on proceeding with the court's cases, as lawyers from the Prosecutor General’s Office refuse to attend hearings in the absence of a Prosecutor General (PG) or his deputy.

An official from Juvenile Court told Sun Online today that the court has written to the Chief Justice on Wednesday, seeking advice on continuing existing cases and whether to accept new criminal cases.

“We asked for advice from the Chief Justice yesterday. We have not received a reply yet,” the official said.

Deputy Prosecutor General (DPG) Hussain Shameem resigned on Monday, leaving both the PG and DPG positions vacant.

A government official said on Tuesday that the President will not propose a new Prosecutor General to the current parliament, over uncertainty that his nomination will be approved. A new parliament, with a ruling coalition majority, is expected to take oath later this month.