LAHORE – The Lahore High Court (LHC) has ordered all lower courts in Punjab to record witness statements in both English and Urdu to ensure fair and clear justice delivery.
Justice Tariq Nadeem issued the ruling, noting that a 1973 notification had already mandated the use of Urdu in courts. However, despite this long-standing directive, the practice has not been fully implemented.
The court pointed out that in many subordinate courts, witness testimonies are still recorded only in English. This often leads to confusion, especially when translations are done without the presence of the witness, potentially affecting case outcomes.
This decision came during the hearing of an appeal by Muhammad Irfan alias Pomi, who was previously sentenced to death in a murder case. After reviewing the evidence, the court reduced his sentence to life imprisonment due to possible translation-related errors.
Justice Nadeem highlighted inconsistencies in eyewitness accounts and noted that these may have resulted from mistakes in English typing. He stressed that statements must be recorded in the witness’s native language and in the presence of the accused or their legal representative.
Moving forward, the LHC has directed the court registrar to circulate this order to all session judges, special judges, and the Ministry of Law and Justice. All judicial officers must now ensure that witness statements are recorded in both languages to support accurate and fair trials.