Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on Thursday said government has been taking adequate measures with improving infrastructure in the courts and providing necessary training facilities to judges and lawyers to improve the judicial system to ensure quick and cheap justice to the common man. Addressing the lawyers here at Prime Minister House on the occasion of financial grants' distribution to bar associations of the country, the Prime Minister said improvement of judicial system was on top of the government agenda.
Representatives of bars associations from across the country were present on this occasion.
The Prime Minister said government has finalised necessary amendments to improve working of the courts to provide speedy justice to the people and added those amendments were with the Standing Committee of National Assembly.
He said laws were also being amended so that no one could register wrong FIR and added that after the approval of amendments, those who would register wrong FIRs would be held responsible. He expressed hope that National Assembly would pass those amendments very soon to make the judicial system more effective.
Shaukat Aziz said it was the basic right of every citizen that he should be provided speedy and cheaper justice.
The Prime Minister said under the Access to Justice Programme has been initiated with the co-operation of Asian Development Bank to construct new court buildings, equip the courtrooms with computers, books and other infrastructure. He said with the induction of computers in the courts there would be openness and system would be improved. He added special programmes have been prepared under that programme to impart training to judges and lawyers.
Shaukat Aziz said with implementation on the programmes, initiated by the government, the system of justice could be improved. He said with the improvement of justice system and providing quick justice, the country would make progress.
Referring to 'justice delayed is justice denied' the Prime Minister said a large number of cases were pending before the courts and there was a need to improve the situation to clear those cases on priority basis. He said a number of cases related to property were pending before the courts causing a negative effect on the economy.
The Prime Minister said government has been taking gradual steps to improve the judicial system because it could not be improved over-night.
Appreciating the contribution of lawyers' community to the provision of justice to the people, the Prime Minister urged the lawyers to help government with their suggestions and proposals to improve the judicial system. He further said that lawyers could send their suggestions through bar associations to the Minister of Law and Justice.
The Prime Minister said there was no harm on politics in the bar association but there should be harmony and unanimity on national and key issues. He said the agenda of government was 'Prosperous Pakistan' and asked the lawyers' community to extend their support to complete that agenda.
The Prime Minister said government has given full freedom to press but added there should be positive criticism.
Federal Minister for Law and Justice Wasi Zafar speaking on the occasion said Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz was keen to improve the judicial system for benefit of the common man.
Minister of State for Law and Justice Shahid Akram Bhinder was also present on the occasion.
Later, the Prime Minister distributed cheques of financial aid to the representatives of bar associations.
High Court Bar Associations would be given Rs 200,000; District Bar Associations would be given Rs 100,000 while Tehsil level Bar Associations would be awarded Rs 50,000.