Comprehensive Legal Reforms Package On Card To Ensure Speedy, Inexpensive Justice: NA Told

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Sep, 2024) Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar on Thursday informed the National Assembly that the government has prepared a comprehensive legal reforms package to ensure the dispensation of speedy and inexpensive justice to the people.

Responding to various supplementary questions during Question Hour, the minister said the package was being brought to the cabinet as speedy and inexpensive justice to the people is amongst the top priorities of the incumbent government.

He said the judicial system of Pakistan especially in the context of ensuring inexpensive and accessible justice is a critical issue. The judicial system for speedy and inexpensive justice was an evolving process and the current government was trying to resolve this issue from one way to another, he said.

He said a number of laws have been incorporated by the PDM government in 2022-2023, different legal reforms were currently under process under the supervision of the prime minister but it was clear that significant reforms were needed to address the systemic issues of the judiciary for speedy and inexpensive justice.

He said the government and judiciary have taken steps to modernize and improve access to justice, provide speedy justice to the people of Pakistan. In this respect, a number of laws have been incorporated or amended besides key legislation for speedy justice have been done.

The minister said the government has constituted three task forces to review civil, criminal and NAB laws. Moreover, a Special Committee has been constituted to set up legal aid mechanisms for the poor and, vulnerable sections of society, he added.

He said Ministry of Law and Justice was reviewing various laws under the aegis of law reforms, especially the Civil Procedure Code, the Criminal Procedure Code and Pakistan Penal Code, etc. to ensure inexpensive and speedy justice for the public. In this regards, the prime minister has constituted a Legal Reform Committee under the chairmanship of

minister for law and justice.

He said the government was also implementing several reforms and initiatives in collaboration with the judiciary to ensure that delays were minimized and justice was served efficiently. Judicial Reforms, digitalization of courts and case management system, case monitoring, appointment of judges, alternative Dispute Resolution System (ADR), Judicial Accountability and transparency, legal Aid System and Judicial Training and education were a few steps to achieve the said results, he added.

To a question, he said that there was the provision of promulgation of ordinance under Article 89 of the Constitution and every government issued ordinances to run the affairs. However, he said that the ordinances were for a certain period and ultimately these to be placed before the parliament.

He said all ordinances issued by the caretaker government had already been placed for the Parliament and now were the property of the House. Now it was the House privilege either to pass or reject or amend the ordinances, he added.

He said legislation was a prime responsibility of the parliament and it should be taken seriously for the welfare and betterment of the people.

APP/raz-sra