Will ensure elections on time: CJP

ISLAMABAD: Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani called on Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on Wednesday and both agreed to ensure that the general elections were held on time and as per schedule.

The meeting was held here at the Supreme Court of Pakistan building. In the meeting, both the dignitaries discussed the issues of mutual interest relating to judicial reforms, especially in context with curtailing delays in the current justice system so as to ensure speedy and expeditious dispensation of justice to public at large.

They also discussed in detail different aspects to bring reforms and underlined the need to conduct workshops of experts for judicial reforms so as to get suggestions and input on different issues.

The meeting also discussed the issue to take concrete measures to update laws. The role of parliamentary committee constituted under Article 175 of the Constitution for appointment of judges of superior courts also came under discussion.

The CJP told the Senate chairman that he would soon hold a meeting with members of the parliamentary committee in this regard. He also thanked the Senate chairman for sparing time and presented a souvenir as a token of respect and gesture of goodwill.

Meanwhile, Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP) has scheduled its meeting on January 25 to review the implementation status of the LJCP law reform reports. The meeting would be chaired by Chief Justice/Chairman LJCP, Mian Saqib Nisar, here at the Supreme Court building in the conference room, said a press release.

The commission will consider law reform proposals received from the high courts, judicial academies and law officers on delay reduction, amendments to procedural laws to ensure inexpensive and expeditious dispensation of justice, strategies to clear the backlog and elimination of multiplicity and overlapping of laws to ensure effective enforcement of laws.

The law reform proposals for amendment to Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act, 1973, West Pakistan Rules under the Muslim Family Laws Ordinance, 1961, the Divorce Act, 1869, the Drug Act, 1976, in Section 89-A of the CPC, 1908, in Section 11 of the Contract Act, 1872, Freedom of Information Ordinance, 2002, Extradition Act, 1972 and Good Conduct Prisoners Probational Release Act, 1926.

Besides this the Commission will also review the progress of the sub-committees constituted to examine proposed amendments to the LJCP and Access to Justice Development Fund rules. The meeting will be attended by members of the Commission including Ashtar Ausaf Ali, Attorney General for Pakistan, Justice M Anwar Khan Kasi, Chief Justice Islamabad High Court, Justice Sheikh Najam ul Hassan, Chief Justice Federal Shariat Court, Justice Muhammad Noor Meskanzai, Chief Justice Balochistan High Court, Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah, Chief Justice Lahore High Court, Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheikh, Chief Justice Sindh High Court, Justice Yahya Afridi, Chief Justice Peshawar High Court, Karamat Hussain Niazi, Secretary, Ministry of Law and Justice, Khawar Mumtaz, Chairperson, National Commission on Status of Women, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, former judge Supreme Court/Chairman, NIRC, Justice Jamshed Ali Shah, former judge Supreme Court, Justice Arif Hussain Khilji, former judge Supreme Court, and M Riaz Ahmed, Senior Advocate Supreme Court.