Staff Report
ISLAMABAD: Amid spread of coronavirus, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has extended the parameter of preventive measures taken at the top court to avoid any outbreak within the premises, media reported.
Under new guidelines, the working hours at all registries of the apex court were curtailed from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm every day except Friday when the offices would close at 12:00 noon.
The new schedule will remain applicable until 24 April. The urgent cases could be received at the court one hour before the closure timings. Only essential staff is being directed to visit the offices while women staffers or anyone aging above 50 is being sent on holidays. On April 14, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed and his family tested negative after they underwent coronavirus tests in wake of precautionary measures taken after one of the Supreme Court’s naib-qasid tested positive for the infection.
According to a handout issued from the apex court, coronavirus symptoms were found in one of the naib-qasid of the top court and was put in quarantine.
“During his first test, the reports highlighted some suspicions of the virus symptoms to which he underwent another test,” it said adding that the second test confirmed that the court employee was affected from COVID-19.