Pak-India lawyers suggest facilities for appearance in each other's courts

The local Saarc Law Chapter has suggested that lawyers of Pakistan and India should be allowed to appear in the courts of the two countries along with a local sponsor.
The Chapter has also sought placement of the legal fraternity in the special category entitled to multi-entry travel between Pakistan and India as media persons and businessmen have been accorded the facility.
Speaking at a reception for the visiting 16 Indian jurists, six of them retired judges of the superior courts, Chapter Chairman M. Bilal said these measures will become necessary in support of regional free-trade agreement under negotiations.
He said the provision of these facilities and similarity of the laws and practices would move the dispute resolution process quicker, and thus create more confidence in the traders.
He also called for enforcement of confidence building measures (CBMs) and composite dialogue process to continue simultaneously so that outstanding issues, including that of Kashmir should be resolved now instead of deferring it for a decade as suggested by some visitors over the week.
Bilal also called for regular exchange of delegation of jurists and exchange of legal knowledge between the two neighbours.
In a brief but forceful plea, former MNA Ahmed Raza Kasuri traced the 4,000 year-old history of Indus-Ganges valleys, saying the prosperity of the region had attracted the European, but what had happened to that 'Golden Sparrow' now that it had become dependent on Europe for its development and survival.
Kasuri said the answer was in the conflict that had raged between the two major segments of the people living in those valleys, and they could restore the old glory to the region if they eliminate the causes of that continuous conflict and co-operate in the developmental efforts.
In his turn, Adisi Aggarwal promised to take up the suggestions with his colleagues and the government leaders on returning home. Later, the delegation left for visits to Sialkot and Lahore, and was to cross border by Tuesday evening.