Protests in Gilgit-Baltistan Demand Urgent Judicial Reforms
In Gilgit, the capital of Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan (PoGB), lawyers and legal bodies have initiated a large-scale protest. They are calling for immediate changes to the region’s legal system to address a growing crisis. The protest has gained support from legal professionals, civil society activists, and concerned citizens.
Key Demands
The protesters are demanding an overhaul of the judicial structure, improved accountability, enhanced transparency, and a more efficient legal framework. A major issue is the shortage of judges, inadequate infrastructure, and a backlog of pending cases. They are calling for the establishment of a permanent high court bench and district courts in the region.
Voices from the Protest
One protester expressed frustration, stating, “We do not have a High Court bench or a Supreme Court bench. We have only one judge. We’ve raised this issue multiple times, but no one in the PoGB assembly has addressed it. There are countless pending cases, and the lack of judges has become a huge problem for the people of PoGB.”
Another protester highlighted the disparity in the judicial hiring process, pointing out, “If there is a single vacancy for a magistrate, it gets filled immediately, but it’s been nine years, and not a single judge has been hired for the Supreme Appellate Court of PoGB. This is creating a major problem for the people here.”
Current Judicial Challenges
The Supreme Appellate Court of PoGB, the highest judicial body in the region, is overwhelmed with a massive backlog of cases due to the lack of judges. The absence of essential courts, such as family courts and labour courts, has left civil judges to handle a wide range of cases, further burdening the system.
Doubts Revealed
Gilgit-Baltistan -: Gilgit-Baltistan is a region in the northern part of Pakistan. It is known for its beautiful mountains and valleys. However, it is also an area with political and legal issues.
Judicial Reforms -: Judicial reforms mean making changes to the legal system to make it better. This can include hiring more judges, building more courts, and making sure cases are handled faster.
Judicial Structure -: The judicial structure refers to how the courts and legal system are organized. It includes different levels of courts and how they work together to solve legal issues.
Accountability -: Accountability means making sure people are responsible for their actions. In the legal system, it means judges and lawyers should do their jobs properly and be answerable for their decisions.
High Court Bench -: A high court bench is a group of judges who work together in a high court. They handle important legal cases and make decisions on them.
Supreme Appellate Court -: The Supreme Appellate Court is the highest court in Gilgit-Baltistan. It deals with appeals, which are requests to review and change decisions made by lower courts.
