Accused facing Rs500m cases to get C class

Ag Agencies

ISLAMABAD: Federal Law Minister Farogh Naseem Saturday said reforms were being introduced in the NAB laws, which will ensure better class for the accused in jail facing cases of over Rs500 million embezzlement.

Addressing a joint press conference here with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan, he said the promise of speedy and cheap justice made by the PTI government was being fulfilled. He said reforms in the country's existing laws will bring revolutionary changes for provision of speedy justice and urged the media to play a positive role for awareness of the masses about the reforms introduced in the NAB laws.

He said the Punjab and KP were on the same page with the federal government on reforms, while Sindh and Balochistan would soon be taken on board.

The minister said the Code of Civil Procedure (Amendment) Bill 2019 will reduce civil litigation period to maximum two years.

He said for securing women rights Women Ombudsman had been empowered who will exercise enforcement and policing powers to restore the possession of ownership to women.

In addition, he said the letter of administration and succession certificates bill will authorise the Nadra to issue a succession certificate within 15 days.

He said a law was being introduced for protection of whistle blower and a whistle blower protection and vigilance commission was also being established.

He said Legal Aid and Justice Authority under the supervision of Ministry of Human Rights will ensure justice to the less income community, especially women and juvenile. Speaking on the occasion, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting Dr. Firdous Ashiq Awan called on the opposition parties to contribute to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s efforts for projection of Kashmir issue and unmasking India’s true face of fascism.

Awan said the Indian media was highlighting the opposition’s negative role with regard to the Kashmir cause that was harming the cause.

“Today, Kashmiris are not looking towards a particular party but Pakistan for support at this extremely critical juncture. Democracy remains incomplete without the role of the opposition,” she emphasised.

She contended that Prime Minister Imran Khan was exposing India in the world and the opposition should contribute to such efforts.

She made it clear that whosoever today went against the Pakistani narrative would be out of politics.

Referring to the prime minister’s meeting with his economic team, she said the prime minister was trying to steer the country out of the outdated system and his government was busy dealing with a number of challenges being faced by Pakistan.

She maintained that all government departments were playing their role in giving a practical shape to the prime minister’s roadmap to take Pakistan forward.

Meanwhile, in a series of tweets, she said Prime Minister Imran Khan, in his address to the UN General Assembly, will apprise the world of the sentiments of Pakistani and Kashmiri people.

She thanked the people of Pakistan and Azad Kashmir for raising voice for the people of Indian Occupied Kashmir and giving a message to the world that they were standing by their Kashmiri brethren.

She also expressed gratitude to the artists for attending a public gathering in Muzaffarabad sending across a message that every segment of the society was supporting the Kashmiri people.