Country needs federal high court, says Law Minister
By Adnan Rafique

ISLAMABAD—The Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights on Monday underlined the need for setting up a federal high court and explained the reasons for it.
A ministry press release said with the increased litigation in the country it was becoming increasingly difficult for the government functionaries in the federal area to travel to high courts throughout the country for litigation.
It said Article 175 of the constitution provides for a high court for each province and such other courts as may be established by law. Islamabad is not a part of any province but it has been attached and given under the jurisdiction of the Lahore High Court. The Islamabad Federal Territory is geographically contiguous to both Punjab and NWFP, so it could have been given under the jurisdiction of any High court.
But the standard norm and practice in almost all federal states is that the federal capital should also have a high court, the press release pointed out.
There are a number of federal statutes in which high court has original and appellate jurisdiction. According to Article 199 writ petitions against federal institutions can be filed in any high court and so the Federal Government has to maintain deputy AttorneyGeneral offices at the provincial capitals.
With the establishment of a high court at the Federal Capital the federal institutions would not have to incur heavy expenditure on T.A. D.A of their officials, the ministry said.
The step for establishing a high court at the federal level is in the best national interest and beneficial to the people as providing expeditious justice is a constitutional obligation which the ministry could not put on a back burner, the press release said.
There is a dire need for the establishment of a federal high court for expeditious disposal of cases and to provide justice to the people without delay, it emphasized.
It is the need of the time that along with the judicial reforms the mechanism of administration of justice to people should be improved and the idea of a Federal High Court is a step towards that end, the press release added.
The ministry said providing expeditious and inexpensive justice to the people is a priority of the present government and its initiative to make litigation speedy and cost effective will also be a incentive for greater local and foreign investment.