Internet and power outages disrupt judicial processes in district courts
RAWALPINDI:
A new biometric verification system has been launched in the Rawalpindi subordinate district judiciary for filing all types of cases, including divorce cases, powers of attorney, bail applications and submission of responses and comments.
However, from day one, the system completely paralyzed the process of filing new cases and applications to the courts.
Frequent Internet slowdowns, blackouts and repeated power outages shook the foundations of the new system from day one, triggering the anger of litigants, clients and lawyers.
Conflicts broke out between litigants at biometric verification points, while biometric booths and centers remained overcrowded from morning to evening. Women were particularly distressed when trying to obtain biometric verification.
At several centers, staff reportedly charged high illegal fees for checks. The District Bar Association also demanded reforms to the system.
Lawyers and litigants faced severe difficulties in Rawalpindi district courts and all tehsil courts from the first day of implementation.
NADRA offices and biometric facilitation centers witnessed a massive crowd of lawyers and litigants.
Due to long queues and internet problems, a large number of women returned home without having completed biometric verification. Internet disruptions and power outages further crippled the system.
Under the new system, biometric verification of applicants has become mandatory for filing family cases, bail applications, new cases, responding to pending cases and submitting powers of attorney. Due to the absence of women litigants and the failure of biometric verification, dozens of cases could not be filed, while important bail applications and various applications also remained pending.
Lawyers Wahid Naz Janjua and Sibtain Bukhari said they were not opposed to the new system but criticized the abrupt closure of the old system.
They suggested that both systems operate simultaneously for two to three weeks. They stressed that power cuts from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. over several days leave litigants powerless.
They demanded open biometric verification, allowing litigants to carry out verification from any centre, installation of generators at judicial facilitation centers and alternative internet arrangements to avoid inconvenience, especially for women.
District Bar Association President Tariq Mahmood Sajid Awan demanded the installation of a biometric verification center at the district bar office, where generators and battery backups are available, to avoid any disruption in court proceedings. Judicial sources told The Express PK Press Club that difficulties were expected initially, but the system would stabilize within a week. They said the new transparent system would help weed out false cases.
