Special court to protect the innocence of children from negative impacts of litigation before traditional courts
First time in Pakistan’s history, Chief Justice Lahore High Court Syed Mansoor Ali Shah inaugurated a special court especially for the cases of children to defend their cases in a protected environment.
The honourable CJ Lahore High Court said the purpose of establishing the special court was to protect the innocence of children from negative impacts of litigation before traditional courts and we cannot let the children ruin their lives in courts.
He further said these courts would be a great forum for the victim children to defend their cases in a protected environment and they could record statements in a separate room.
The separate waiting area was also set up for counselling of the under-trial children by students of Punjab University’s psychology department.
The CJ hoped that in near future a special court for senior citizens would also be established in Lahore as earlier a special court for women had been set up to deal with the gender-based violence cases..
He further said these pilot run projects would be extended to other cities of Pakistan. He thanked local and international stakeholders for their support in the establishment of the court. Initially, 80 cases involving children had been transferred here.
A few days ago the honourable CJ inaugurated a special court that will deal with cases pertaining to harassment of women and One-fourth of all the (four hundred) cases of torture and harassment that are being heard presently at different courts have been transferred to the special court.