LAHORE: Poor prisoners who cannot afford lawyers to defend their cases in courts will get free legal aid, Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif, said.

Lauding the Punjab Home Department on starting a remarkable initiative to help needy prisoners by providing them free legal aid in jails across Punjab, the CM said, “Now no poor prisoner in Punjab will be deprived of the facility of a lawyer.” She directed the authorities convened to form Free Legal Aid Committees in all 43 jails of Punjab in collaboration with Punjab Bar Council and District Bar Associations.”

She further said, “Eligible prisoners will apply to their respective Jail Superintendents who will refer these applications to lawyers. A total of 447 lawyers have been included in Free Legal Aid Committees across Punjab.”

The CM added that 45 lawyers in Lahore Division, 90 in Gujranwala Division, 70 in Rawalpindi Division, 47 in Faisalabad division, 45 in Multan Division, 24 in Sargodha Division, 55 in Bahawalpur division, 55 in Sahiwal Division and 16 in DG Khan Division are included in these Free Legal Aid Committees.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024