Research centre to be set up to help judges: CJP

LAHORE: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Asif Saeed Khan Khosa has said the constitution of the country provides equal rights to all citizens.

The CJP said this while addressing the closing session of second workshop on gender-based violence laws held in collaboration with the Asian Development Bank at the Punjab Judicial Academy here on Saturday. He said steps had been taken to protect the rights of the citizens and the establishment of gender-based violence courts was one of those steps.

“Our first step is against fake evidences and witnesses and cases against such elements were under proceeding in various courts”, he added.

The CJP said the second step was to enhance the capacity building of judges and “we are thankful to the Punjab Judicial Academy which was standing with us in achieving this goal”.

He said police reforms were the third step aiming at welfare of masses and effective steps were being taken in this regard. The CJP said with these initiatives there was 11 per cent reduction in filing of new cases in district courts besides 20 per cent reduction in higher courts. He said the next step was setting up of police assessment committees comprising retired sessions judges and lawyers. Each court was being linked with research centre to enhance the capacity building of the courts, he maintained. He said artificial intelligence would bring revolution in “our judiciary and the decision of cases would be made in less time”.

Talking about police reforms, the top judge said a committee of 9 judges had been formed to introduce reforms in police system. He said the committee would work for the better image of police in the eyes of public.

He said most of eyewitnesses gave wrong testimonies in murder cases, adding that an example should be set while punishing those who gave wrong testimony. He said cases were in progress in different courts against those who gave false testimony. He said: “We are providing standard education to young lawyers and investigators.”

He said a modern research centre would be established to help judges in provision of speedy justice. He said the facility of voice typing would also be provided to judges.

He said 10,600 cases of murder and narcotics had been completed in criminal model courts established across the country. The CJP said there was a need of a passion to work for people’s welfare and added that Article 10 of the constitution gave a right of fair trial to all the citizens.

Supreme Court Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah said: “Gender-based violence is very horrible aspect of our society. We have studied this aspect in detail with the collaboration of the Asian Development Bank.” He said the journey which was started from a district and a court now had spread across all the districts of the country.

Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Sardar Muhammad Shamim Khan said it was need of the hour to make collective efforts to check gender-based violence. He said Islamic basic rights and laws had special position in all laws and rights of the world. He lauded the services of the Punjab Judicial Academy for holding such a good workshop and thanked the Asian Development Bank for their collaboration.