As Eidul Fitr approaches, the District Sessions Civil Magistrate Special Courts and Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi Bench have granted bails to 316 accused in various cases in Adiala Jail based on Eid mercy and have ordered their release.
These bail applications had been filed between the 1st of Ramazan and Tuesday. The hearing of bail applications of 285 accused is presently ongoing. All courts are hearing 10 to 30 bail applications per day. As many as 300 more accused are likely to be granted bail by the High Court and subordinate courts till Eid. Those whose applications have been approved have been started to be released from jail.
According to judicial traditions, all the courts accept bail applications in minor cases every Ramazan, as a show of special mercy on Eid. The accused who do not get bail on normal days, wait for Ramazan to file their bail applications.
Trial courts have also suspended the cases of punishing the accused in the last 10 days of Ramazan. The purpose of this is to allow the accused to mingle with other prisoners in the jail and celebrate Eid. After the Eidul Fitr holidays, the judgments of the cases will be started.
The Senior Most Judge of Rawalpindi Bench, Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan, has also issued instructions to all subordinate judiciary of Rawalpindi Division to hear all bail applications filed before Eid daily and decide upon them.
Even two days before the Eid holidays, the staff of the Session Judges of the four districts of Rawalpindi, Attock, Jhelum and Chakwal will be present in the offices from 9 am to 7 pm to hear the bail applications.
Instructions have also been issued to ensure the release of any accused who is granted bail by any court one day before Eidul Fitr. Only five working days are left before Eid. Those accused who will apply for bail within the next three days are expected to have their applications decided upon.
Both division benches and all single benches of the Rawalpindi High Court have also started daily decisions on all bail applications filed.
Moreover, in compliance with the strict instructions of the High Court, judges of the session and district courts of Rawalpindi and Islamabad will visit Adiala Jail on Friday and Saturday, the 5th and 6th of April, where these judges will issue orders for the release of all accused persons arrested for minor crimes on personal bail so that they can celebrate Eid joyfully.
The Adiala Jail superintendent has been ordered to make all necessary arrangements in this regard and to prepare a list of accused persons arrested for minor crimes before the visit of these judges.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 9th, 2024.
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