3 days ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
LJCP reaffirms commitment to equitable justice system
ISLAMABAD: The Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP) reaffirmed its commitment to realising an accessible and equitable justice system for all citizens.
The LJCP meeting, held at the Supreme Court on Monday was chaired by Chief Justice of Pakistan/ Chairman, LJCP Yahya Afridi. It emphasised the commission's unwavering dedication to judicial excellence and the establishment of a fair and just society in Pakistan.
The commission reviewed the implementation status of its previous decisions taken in the 44th meeting, particularly the progress made by the Advisory Committee for law reforms comprising secretary Ministry of Law and Justice and eminent lawyers. The committee acknowledged the need and significance of reforms in family laws and the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1898.
The commission applauded the commendable job done by the committee and hoped that in consultation with relevant stakeholders the committee will suggest viable recommendations for improving the service delivery of justice system with regard to family dispute and criminal matters.
The commission approved the Annual Accounts of the Access to Justice Development Fund for FY 2024-25, and constituted a Committee to review the LJCP Employees Service Rules of 1992 and suggest reforms to enhance administrative efficiency and enable performance management.
Meanwhile, the Governing Body meeting of the Access to Justice Development Fund (AJDF) on Monday was held at the Supreme Court under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Pakistan/ Chairman, LJCP.
The governing body extended its deepest gratitude to the federal government for a grant of Rs2 billion to the fund. This landmark contribution will be utilised for advancing women-centric facilities in courts, solarisation of judicial complexes, provision of clean drinking water and establishment of e-libraries in courts across the country with special focus on underdeveloped and remote districts, ensuring broader access and inclusivity.
In a unanimous decision, the forum verified annual accounts of the Fund for the year 2024-25 and approved significant projects and financial allocations aimed at strengthening justice sector across the country by focusing litigant's facilities.
The governing body approved projects of the High Court of Sindh and High Court of Balochistan amounting to Rs631.579 million, with emphasis on establishing Women-centric facilities within court premises. This will provide a safe, accessible, and inclusive environment for female litigants.
Approval was granted for projects of the Sindh, Lahore, Balochistan, and Peshawar High Courts under the Underdeveloped Regions (UDR) Window amounting to Rs317 million. These projects include the solarisation of courts to ensure uninterrupted power supply and the establishment of modern e-libraries in remote and underdeveloped districts.
The governing body also sanctioned various training programmes for the federal and provincial judicial academies. In addition, standard operating procedures (SOPs) were approved to streamline the provision of free legal aid to deserving litigants, particularly for cases pending before the Supreme Court and High Courts.
The forum approved proposed amendments to the AJDF Rules aimed at broadening the scope of the Judicial and Research Window and enhancing the overall effectiveness of the Fund.
The chair appreciated the valuable input of the participants and reaffirmed the commitment of the judiciary to ensure that the resources of the fund are utilised for sustainable, inclusive, and accessible justice delivery across the country.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
