To help resolve long-standing disputes, minimise the lengthy litigation process and provide legal cover to the jirga system the provincial cabinet on Tuesday approved the Alternative Dispute Resolution Bill 2020.
The bill is expected to be presented in the next session of the provincial assembly for formal legislation.
A meeting of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Cabinet was held in Peshawar on Tuesday with Chief Minister Mahmood Khan in the chair.
Later, while briefing media about decisions taken during the meeting, Special Assistant to K-P chief minister on Information and Higher Education Kamran Bangash said that once the new bill is approved from the provincial assembly, the existing jirga system in the province will be legally protected.
The draft law, he explained, sets out procedures for the alternative resolution of both civil and criminal cases. Moreover, it sets up committees at the divisional and district levels which will be headed by commissioners and deputy commissioners, he informed reporters.
The special assistant said that Dispute Resolution Committees will include members from the local police department, the judiciary, law enforcement agencies, prosecution, special branch, lawyers, retired officers as well as civil society.
The district administration and judiciary will also be able to refer cases to these committees for resolution. After it completes its proceedings the committee can forward its recommendations to the judiciary.
Further, Bangash said that the first food security policy of the province is being prepared which will lead to a green revolution in the province. Over 600,000 hectare of land in the southern districts of the province will be irrigated which will meet the food needs of the people.
On the directives of the chief minister, the special assistant said that a massive campaign against the use of plastic shopping bags will be launched across the province.
The provincial cabinet also approved an amendment to the Provincial Ministers’ Privileges Act, 1975, under which the residential bills of ministers will be paid by the administration department.
Bangash said that the cabinet has approved construction of the Swat Agricultural University through NESPAK.
The construction of 48-kilometre Kalam to Kumrat road, 52km Thali Patrak road and 14km Jaz Banda road were also okayed.
Amendments to CCP Act, 2019
Conceding demands of lawyers, who have been on a strike for weeks in the courts of the province, the provincial cabinet on Tuesday also approved amendments to the Code of Civil Procedure Act 2019.
The cabinet also set up a committee comprising government officers and representatives of the legal fraternity to address apprehensions of lawyers and to approve some of the recommendations after consultation.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 11th, 2020.
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