KARACHI: The system of unlimited hearings without time bar is leading to delays in judgments,” former Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Gulzar Ahmed said, adding that delaying judgment was not in the interest of the country.
Speaking at a seminar “Justice Delayed Justice Denied”, organized by Pakistan Council on Foreign Affairs (PCFR) at a local hotel here, Gulzar said: “It’s not the judges’ fault that cases are pending in courts. Judges are doing their job.”
He said the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan had suggested many amendments to legal framework to avoid delays in judgments, which was still pending the parliament review.
“The present government is facing ‘survival’ challenges thus it cannot amend laws. Only real motivated government who got elected by votes of people for real interest of Pakistan can take up such issues,” Gulzar remarked.
Urging the need to establish arbitration courts, Gulzar was of the view that such courts would prove a very useful tool.
Former Attorney General of Pakistan, Anwar Mansoor Khan said petitioners should be penalized for filing fake cases as high courts are overloaded in terms of number of cases.
He said courtrooms have to be modified by bringing in advance technologies, adding that a proper case management system should be introduced for fast and early dispensation of justice. Mansoor further said alternate dispute resolution/mediation system is the need of the hour.
He said digitization of filing of cases and complete computerization of court record was mandatory to speed up the judicial proceedings.
Barrister Salahuddin Ahmed said judges of Pakistani courts are honest, competent and working tirelessly, adding that in many cases lawyers become the victims of delay in cases. He also emphasized on bringing technological solutions in judicial system to pace up the court proceedings. “Cameras should be installed inside courtrooms to record the proceedings,” he added.
The inclusion of new methodologies incorporated with information technology is pivotal in the country’s judicial system in order to fast-track the dispensation of justice, other speakers opined.
The seminar was attended by foreign dignitaries, lawyers and members of civil society. Secretary General PCFR Ahsan Mukhtar Zuberi, Ambassador G R Baloch and Ambassador Shahid M Amin also spoke on the occasion.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023