Islamabad High Court Bar Association and District Bar have filed a joint petition in the Supreme Court seeking to become a party in the coronavirus suo moto case being heard by the apex court.

The lawyers also sought assistance package and easy loans for the black coats whose business has been disrupted due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The petition, that was filed through a joint lawyer, Saeed Khursheed, also said that both Islamabad High Court and District Courts are vulnerable to the spread of the coronavirus in the wake of administration’s apathy.

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It further urged the apex court to direct the government to equip the judges and their staff against the virus. In addition, the petition sought the government take effective measures for the protection of some 5,000 lawyers.

“Every day, thousands of petitioners come to district courts and the IHC but there is no mechanism to test if anyone has contracted the infection.”

The petition sought the provision of testing facility for those suspected of contracting the coronavirus. It further requested the poor staff working in courts to be included in the assistance package.

Besides, the lawyers should be given loans on low-interest rates with the conditional approval of the bar as the lawyers too had been affected by the disruption of their business due to decrease in the number of petitioners in the wake of the pandemic.