CJP Saqib Nisar takes up a tough challenge

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar has taken up the challenge of mobilising the plagued judicial system of the country to deliver speedy justice - the task which appears tough but not impossible.

Sources in the judiciary told The News that the CJP has tasked the high court chief justices and other relevant quarters to come up with concrete proposals within a fortnight to address the issues of curtailing delays in the court cases, clearing the backlog and introducing alternative dispute resolution (ADR) system for speedy and inexpensive justice.

The sources said that Law and Justice Commission, which met on Thursday (January 25), will meet again within one month to consider the proposals and finalise the strategy for speedy justice.

In addition to this, these sources said, CJP Saqib Nisar has also sought the meeting of National Judicial Policymaking Committee in a fortnight to identify and remove the impediments causing delays in the court cases. The last NJPC, it is said, met in Karachi on January 13.

The Law and Justice Commission and the National Judicial Policymaking Committee, it is said, are being activated to find solutions for speedy and inexpensive justice. Besides correcting the wrongs within the judiciary and in the bar, the judiciary will also push the government and Parliament to amend existing laws or make new ones to ensure that the justice system in the country delivers in accordance with the expectations of the masses.

Recently, the CJP has also started addressing judges and lawyers to press them that delays in court cases and mounting backlog can’t be tolerated and thus the judges as well as the lawyers’ community have to contribute for early disposal of cases. The CJP has also recently indicated of introducing some new provisions in the conduct rules for the judges so as to ensure that the judgments are not reserved beyond three months.

In his address during the last meeting of the Law and Justice Commission, the CJP admitted that the country’s judicial system needs fundamental reforms in laws to cope with the increasing litigation and to dispel the public perception about delay in justice.

He stated that despite working hard and beyond office hours, the size of litigation is not decreasing. “One of the reasons for increasing litigation is non-availability of sufficient number of judges at all levels and the absence of stringent provisions to discourage frivolous litigation,” he was quoted as saying.

The CJP also underlined the importance of alternative dispute resolution in resolving disputes without burdening the already overburdened formal justice system. Regarding the inactions of the executive, the Law Commission was told during its last meeting that out of its 138 reports, 74 are yet to be implemented by the government. The Commission was informed by the law ministry official that out of 74, working on 60 reports is in progress.