The District and Sessions Court of Islamabad, citing austerity measures as petroleum products are expensive, ordered the inmates to be brought to the court from Adiala Jail through video link instead of being brought to court.
The order issued to the judges under District and Sessions Judge Islamabad East Muhammad Ata Rabbani said that in view of the recent rise in prices of petroleum products, all judicial magistrates have been asked to attend the trial of under-trial prisoners to save public exchequer.
The order was issued for those accused whose challans have not yet been collected and whose physical presence is not required for any concrete action.
The order states that they (Judicial Magistrates) are directed to use the internet and laptops already provided for this purpose.
The order further said that if the challan or report is submitted then the accused can be summoned to appear before the court.
In addition, 5 Judicial Magistrates have been appointed in the notification for attendance through video link from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The austerity measures have been in place since the government was criticized for raising fuel prices by Rs 60 per liter in one week.
Earlier, the provincial governments of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had reduced the fuel quota of cabinet members, assembly members and government officials by more than one-third.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has approved a 40 per cent reduction in fuel quota for all provincial government officials and ministers, including himself.
He said that the reduced quota would help in bringing the fuel expenditure in line with the approved budget of the provincial government and local bodies.
However, it will not apply to essential services such as health department, police and civic bodies but will apply to their officers.
Similarly, Karachi Administrator Murtaza Wahab issued a similar order for Karachi Metropolitan Corporation in which fuel quota for municipal officers was reduced by 40%.
On the other hand, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has announced a 35% reduction in fuel costs for all provincial government departments and autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies, but police, district administration, Rescue 1122 and hospital generators will be exempt.
The reduction in quotas will apply to provincial ministers, advisers, special assistants to the chief minister, officers, assistants, contract employees of the provincial government and autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies under the administrative control of the province.