Dispute Resolution Centre will be established in Lahore under the Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) Project being financed and executed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC) Pakistan, a subsidiary of the World Bank, said IFC Pakistan's ADR Associate Operations Officer Saima Zuberi and Isfandyar Ali Khan.
They were talking to the media the other day. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) New World Concepts Karachi, Yasmin Hyder and Director Karachi Centre for Dispute Resolution, Dr Zafar Ahmad Khan Sherwani were also present. They said that the plan is in advanced stage and announcement for setting up of the Dispute Resolution Centre in Lahore will be made in due course so that the people of Lahore and adjoining districts of the Punjab province could avail the services and advice for resolving the disputes through mediation and thus minimise the burdensome procedure of litigation.
They said that the Centre for Dispute Resolution under the Alternate Dispute Resolution Project was set up in Karachi in 2007 and its success had encouraged the IFC Pakistan to set up a similar centre in Lahore. Director Karachi Centre for Dispute Resolution Dr Zafar Ahmad Khan Sherwani told the newsmen that the centre created awareness among more than 2000 people through different events and courses for resolving their disputes through mediation amicably. He said more than 1500 cases have been settled through the efforts of the Centre under the Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) Project which is being financed and executed by the IFC.
The IFC and the New World Concepts representatives said that the recently concluded two-day workshop on Gender Sensitisation in the field of Alternate Dispute Resolution at the Avari Tower Hotel was part of creating awareness among the womenfolk hailing from different groups and vocations for availing the mediation facilities under the ADR.
Consultative sessions which formed part of the workshop were actively and effectively participated by women entrepreneurs and business managers as well as academia including the professors, lecturers and faculty members from law colleges, business schools etc.
They said they had come specially from Karachi for this purpose and were very much encouraged and satisfied with the warm and positive response from the womenfolk who could play an active role in creating awareness about resolving disputes through mediation rather than litigation among different segments of the society.