Plan to provide free services of advocates to poor persons facing criminal cases

LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to provide free services of advocates to indigent persons in criminal cases. In this regard an independent Punjab Public Defender Service department will be established in the civil secretariat.

The Punjab Public Defender Service Bill was reviewed in a meeting of Standing Committee of Cabinet on Legislative Business (SCCLB) held at Civil Secretariat under the chairmanship of Provincial Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Muhammad Basharat Raja on Tuesday.

Provincial Law Minister Khurram Shehzad Virk attended the meeting while Secretary Law and Parliamentary Affairs Akhtar Javed briefed the participants on the draft law.

Chairman Committee Muhammad Basharat Raja said that Article 37D of the Constitution guarantees every citizen the full right to defend himself in any court of law.

“After this decision, Punjab will become first province to provide equal legal aid to all citizens,” he said.

If a citizen involved in a criminal case is unable to pay the lawyer’s fee, he will request the relevant court or tribunal. The learned judge, he said, will order the Punjab Public Defender Service to provide an advocate.

A citizen in jail will be able to hire a free defender through the superintendent of prison,” he said.

Raja further said that indigent persons will not have to worry about lawyers in criminal cases, but, he warned that punishment will also be set for those who take unfair advantage of this state facility. On this occasion, Khurram Shahzad Virk instructed to complete the work on the draft soon and present it in the cabinet meeting.

Secretary Law and Parliamentary Affairs Punjab Akhtar Javed said that Chief Public Defender and Additional Chief Public Defender will be nominated by the chief minister Punjab. A public defender will also be appointed at the district level. The Minister of Parliamentary Affairs suggested that the scope of this service should be extended to the tehsil level and necessary changes should be made in the bill in this regard.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022