Strengthening justice system: Premier forms panel to review criminal laws

Committee will present its suggestions in six months

ISLAMABAD:

In an attempt to improve the justice system, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif constituted a committee of nine jurists to review the criminal laws of the country.

The ministry of law, justice and human rights divisions, in a statement, revealed that the committee has been asked to present its recommendations within six months.

The notification further says that it is expedient to improve the criminal justice system of Pakistan and make it more practicable in terms of meeting current requirements of the country.

“For the improvement of the criminal justice of Pakistan and making it more practicable, it is necessary to review all laws relating to that system and for the matters connected,” the statement said.

According to the notification, Attorney General for Pakistan Salman Aslam Butt will be heading the committee while the other members include PBC Vice Chairman Azam Nazeer Tarar, Supreme Court Bar Association president Fazl-e-Haq Abbasi, former SCBA president Kamran Murtaza, former SCBA president Asma Jahangir, Rasheed A Rizvi advocate, Muhammad Akram Quraishi, Khawaja Haris Ahmad and Abdul Lateef Afridi. PBC’s secretary will act as secretary of the committee.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Tarar shared that the committee has been constituted on the proposal of the apex body of lawyers because they believe that the establishment of military courts is a temporary measure and the federal government should review criminal laws for a permanent solution.

“Members of committee have been taken from all provinces as they all have expertise of criminal laws,” he said adding that the committee in its first meeting will identify the laws that need to be reviewed in light of the present circumstances.

The committee will review both ordinary as well as terrorist laws of the country.

Commenting on the premier’s decision to review the criminal laws of the country, senior jurist Khawaja Muhammad Haris said the criminal justice system has three main components—investigation, trial and post-trial, wherein convicts live in prisons. Haris said that the committee will examine all the three stages and present its recommendations.



Published in The Express Tribune, July 31^st, 2015.