GuI Zaman vs Pakistan Rangers Sindh and others

This matter came before the Supreme Court of Pakistan as a petition for leave to appeal. The primary legal questions addressed by the Court were whether a petition filed with a delay of one day could be condoned based on an assertion of a technical computer error, and whether the petition could proceed in the absence of instructions from the petitioner. The Court held that the explanation provided for the delay—a technical error of the computer—did not constitute a valid or sufficient ground for condonation of delay. Consequently, the application seeking condonation of delay was dismissed as misconceived. Furthermore, the Court observed that the learned counsel for the petitioner had no contact with the petitioner for six months and lacked fresh instructions to pursue the matter. Accordingly, the Court dismissed the petition on the dual grounds of being barred by time and for lack of instructions. The judgment reinforces the principle that procedural delays require substantive justification and that legal representation requires active, current instructions from the client to maintain the viability of a petition.