Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre to be set up soon: CJ

LAHORE

The Lahore High Court Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah chaired a meeting with the delegation of Pakistan Mediation Association (PMA).

Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh, officiating Registrar Tahir Sabir, Secretary to Chief Justice Shahid Shafi, District & Sessions Judge Nazir Ahmad Ganjana, Director General Punjab Judicial Academy (PJA) Ms Uzma Akhtar Chughtai and Senior Instructors of PJA Ms Jazeela Aslam and Muhammad Amir Munir were also present there whereas the delegation was consisted on Anwar Kashif Mumtaz, President of PMA, Barrister Tariq Saeed Rana and Advocate Zafar Iqbal Kalanori. Preparation of draft rules for the ADR Centre and training of the mediators were discussed in detail.

Talking to the delegation, Hon’ble Chief Justice said that LHC was actively pursuing for ADR centre in Lahore and with the positive co-operation of all the stakeholders it would be established soon.

The PMA delegation said the association would assist in drafting the rules and providing master training to the mediators in PJA. The Punjab Judicial Academy will play role as a hub for the training of the mediators. It is worth mentioning here that with the financial assistance of World Bank, ADR centres will be established in the whole province and in first phase pilot project in Lahore will start processing soon.

Kashmir case: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday reserved verdict on maintainability of the writ petition seeking directions for the government to take up the issue of occupied Kashmir with Security Council of the United Nations Organisation.

Lahore High Court Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali heard the petition filed by Jamat-ud-Dawa Chief Hafiz Saeed. Through his counsel Advocate AK Dogar, Hafiz Saeed said India had been committing atrocities on Kashmiris and violating the resolutions passed by the UNO.

Indian forces were killing innocent Kashmiris and had ruined their daily life. The petitioner stated that India also did not give Kashmiris their right to self-determination whether they wanted to live with India or not. For last more than one month, he said, the Indian forces were violating the human rights by continuously torturing Kashmiri people. He said peace had been on stake in the entire region.

The petitioner said that atomic war cannot be ruled out if the oppression against Kashmiris was not checked. He requested the court to order the federal government to take up the issue of Kashmir at Security Council in order to force India to obey the Security Council’s resolution passed in April 1948 and to highlight the issue at international level so that people could know the real face of India. After hearing arguments of the petitioner’s counsel, the chief justice reserved the verdict on the maintainability of the petition.

custody: An additional district and sessions judge Tuesday handed over two children to their mother after getting them recovered from an illegal custody of their father. 

Najla Maqsod of Mozang had filed a habeas corpus petition in the court alleging that her husband Muhammad Maqsod had detained her two children, six-year-old daughter Sadia and four-year-old son Ali Maqsod. She said she had a bitter wedlock due to which scuffle on domestic issues was a routine matter. She said a few days back her husband tortured her brutally, kicked her out of his house and snatched her children. She implored the court for the recovery of her children.

On her plea, the court issued a notice to Maqsod, directing him to produce the kids before the court. 

Maqsod produced them before the court from where they were handed over to their mother. 

Notices: The Lahore High Court on Tuesday issued notices to election commission and provincial government on a petition challenging eligibility of Lahore’s likely mayor Khwaja Ahmad Hassaan.

A citizen, Waqas Aslam, filed the petition through Advocate Sheraz Zaka saying Mr Hassaan had been functioning as chairman of Punjab Institute of Cardiology, LDA, Lahore Transport Company and Orange Train Authority. The lawyer told the court that Mr Hassaan could not contest the election of mayor until two years lapsed to his resignation from the offices.

He sought an order for disqualification of Mr Hassaan from chairmanship UC-107 as well as from contesting mayor elections. Justice Atir Mahmood issued notices to the respondents for September 5.