Cabinet body to conduct in-depth review of acquittal rates

First meeting of cabinet sub-committee on rule of law roadmap priorities held

PESHAWAR: A sub-panel of the provincial cabinet on Friday agreed to conduct a more in-depth analysis of the factors contributing to the high acquittal rate in serious crimes.

This was agreed as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Law Minister Sultan Muhammad Khan presided over a cabinet sub-committee meeting regarding the Rule of Law Roadmap in Peshawar on Friday.

During the meeting, the committee unanimously approved the key ‘Rule of Law Roadmap’ priorities, which aim to lower acquittal rates in serious crimes, reduce case disposal times and overcrowding prisons, especially the cohort of under-trial prisoners.

Sultan stated that the objective of the roadmap was to build trust with citizens seeking support from law and order and legal institutions in the province.

He emphasised that the roadmap guides institutions in improving their efficiencies as well as addressing hurdles and bottlenecks in cross-institutional coordination for effective dispensation of justice.

The minister assured the different departments of his full support in implementing the roadmap in coordination with the criminal justice institutions of the province for achieving milestones in a timely and effective manner.

The committee was briefed about the progress on the roadmap priorities, governing mechanisms and department-level engagement by K-P Home Secretary Ikramullah Khan. He said that the implementation management of the roadmap is based on the ‘deliverology approach’ which is a systematic process through which the committee will drive progress and ensure delivery results using data.

K-P Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Sanaullah Abbasi presented a plan to improve the efficiency of the police. In this regard, he shared the initiatives which are being taken to improve investigation standards and quality, including an increased focus on the provision of victim support services.

He also shared recommendations for budgetary revisions necessary for institutionalising measures which need to be taken for the reform agenda of the roadmap.

While reviewing current trends of acquittal in serious crimes, members of the committee agreed to conduct a more in-depth analysis, while generating evidence for factors contributing to the problem.

Like the law minister, K-P Planning and Development Department Additional Chief Secretary Shakeel Qadir Khan assured the different departments of his office’s complete support in pursuing the reforms agenda.

Law Department Secretary Masood Ahmad, K-P Police Operations DIG Kashif Alam, Prisons AIG Taj Sultan, Reclamation and Probation Director Moallim Jan, and Legal, Prosecution Deputy Director Shafiullah, also shared the progress made on rule of law roadmap’s key performance indicators and associated initiatives for improving efficiency and performance.

Sultan thanked Justice System Support Program (JSSP) team and the Delivery Unit for the technical support provided to the departments in developing standards, rules, guidelines and performance tracking mechanisms.

He said that all the key issues identified and discussed should be addressed at all levels as required and that the cabinet sub-committee should move towards finding solutions in its next meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 7^th, 2020.