Sindh govt to amend witness protection law 13 years after enactment, Sindh High Court told

Karachi: Following a 13-year wait, the Sindh government is set to amend its witness protection law to align with international best practices. This development was disclosed before the Sindh High Court, which was hearing a petition filed in 2023 regarding the non-framing of rules to implement the Sindh Witness Protection Act, 2013.

The petitioner, Tariq Mansoor Advocate, argued that the law, enacted in 2013, aimed to protect witnesses in criminal cases, but there had been no substantial efforts to enforce it, such as forming the rules necessary for its implementation. The High Court, currently a two-judge constitutional bench led by Justice Yousuf Ali Sayeed, stated that the government's power to make rules under Section 29 of the Act, which allows for carrying out its purposes, needed to be considered.

Respondents in the case, Inspector General of Sindh Police and Prosecutor General of Sindh, were summoned to the hearing. The petition highlighted the lack of funds released for setting up a witness protection unit and the absence of proper enforcement of the law. The bench adjourned the hearing until November 12, instructing the petitioner to prepare for discussing whether the government is obligated to frame rules and whether any provisions of the Act are currently rendered ineffective without them.