Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhary on Thursday said the federal government will carry out judicial reforms which are essential to revitalise the economy as well. Addressing a ceremony of District Bar Association Islamabad, the minister emphasised that the government will carry out judicial reforms by taking onboard the bar associations in order to provide relief to the common man.
He noted that the executive, the judiciary and the bar associations need to be on the same page to bring legal reforms. Fawad Chaudhary said that no compromise will be made on the ongoing accountability process. He rejected the impression of political victimization, saying none of the cases against the opposition were registered or prosecuted by the present government.
The Information minister said the present government believes in transparency and this is the reason that no cabinet scandal has surfaced since the assumption of power by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf in the last seven to eight months. Chaudhary said the country will be steered out of all crises including economic crisis through a collaborative approach amongst the institutions.
The Information minister said that he is also writing a letter to the chief justices, praying them to nominate two judges in each district to hear defamation related cases.
He also hailed the sacrifices rendered by the lawyers in the war on terrorism and assured to address their problems. The minister asked the office-bearers of Islamabad Bar Association to sit with the capital's chief commissioner and the chairman CDA and prepare a master plan for the construction of the chambers of lawyers.
He assured that the government will release funds for this purpose.
Chaudhary said that a new master plan for Islamabad is also being prepared in which permission will be given to construction of high-rise buildings in the capital. Earlier the day, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry withdrew his support for the Punjab Assembly's decision to increase perks and privileges of MPAs, ministers and the provincial chief minister along with salary.
He had supported the Punjab Assembly's decision and said, "I feel the salaries of MPAs are very low. The monthly pay was Rs 80,000 which was raised to Rs 150,000."
"If we do not take these steps then those belonging to the middle class will not contest the elections," the Information minister had further said and added, "If you say that MPAs and MNAs should not be given salaries then you will driving the middle class driven out of politics."
However, later following a tweet by Prime Minister Imran Khan expressing disappointment over the move, Chaudhry tweeted, "(It) Seems Punjab government and the CM House are in the dark about the PM and the federal government's austerity policies; otherwise, such sham exercise of awarding huge benefits to themselves would not have happened." PM Imran Khan, earlier in the day, criticised the move.