Legislation under way to wind up trials in 9 months

Federal Minister for Law and Justice Barrister Dr Muhammad Farough Naseem has said that legislation was being enacted to ensure conduct of any trial within nine months.

"Disciplinary action will be taken if the trial is not completed within the stipulated time of nine months," he said.

Naseem expressed these views while talking to journalists and addressing launch of the book "Selected Judgment Volume One, Two and Three" by former Education Minister and Chairman Federal Service Tribunal Justice (retd) Qazi Khalid. He said that the Bar was opposing the judicial reforms on the grounds that these were against the independence of the judiciary.

Read: Lawyers resisted law reforms: Naseem

Regarding the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), the federal law minister said it was enacted by Nawaz Sharif in 2016. "Some changes have been made in the PECA in which my ministry is not involved," he added.

Naseem said the no-confidence motion was the right of the opposition. "If they have numbers, let them give it a try. It won't be a problem for the government."

Former Chief Justice Justice (retd) Anwar Zaheer Jamali, author of the book Justice (retd) Qazi Khalid, President Sindh High Court Bar Association Shahab Sarki and others also addressed the event. The event was attended by members of the legal community, including former judges and social figures.

Former CJP Justice (Retd) Anwar Zaheer Jamali, Chairman of the FST Qazi Khalid Ali and others were also present on the occasion. The federal minister said the world had adopted a pattern to record evidence electronically.

He said the lawyers resisted law reforms. He further said the bar associations were invited for their inputs pertaining to amendments to certain laws but they termed those as exploitation and rejected.