PESHAWEAR: Peshawar High Court Chief Justice Yahya Afridi on Monday declared the bar and bench necessary for each other to ensure smooth working of judiciary and said the bar had a vital role to play for the administration of justice.

He said this during a meeting with all members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council and presidents of the Peshawar High Court and all district bar associations.

The participants discussed major reform and development programmes initiated by the high court for quick dispensation of justice and provision of all possible facilities to litigants.

The CJ said lawyers must first discuss issues with him and if they weren`t satisfied, only then they should boycott courts as it was an established principle that consultative process and common wisdom resolved issues in an amicable manner.

He said the process of accountability at bench level had already been initiated and that the bar must also initiate similar action on their end.

The CJ said although the shortage of additional district and sessions judges hadbeen addressed, a case for induction of 49 civil judges had already been sent to the Public Service Commission for early recruitment and once that happened, there would be no shortage of judicial officers.

He explained the procedure for posting and transfer of judicial officers for ensuring transparency and merit in context of provision of capable judicial officers to be posted in equitable manner in all districts.

The CJ said the far-flung districts would get the bestjudicialofhcers.

He and the bar representatives promised to cooperate with each other to dispense justice to the people.

A participant told Dawn that the representatives of different associations hailed the meeting by terming it unprecedented.

He said the representatives mostly raised issues related to libraries for the bar as well as construction of judicial complexesin different areas.

The participant said the issue of appointment of judges to the high court was also discussed and the CJ informed that that just like the last three judges appointments, in which the bar was consulted, the high court had again recommended some names for the three vacant slots of the high court judges.

He said the three vacancies would be filled on merit.