Meeting today: Commission to discuss law reform proposals

Will consider amending Criminal Procedure Code 1898.

ISLAMABAD:

A meeting of the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP) is scheduled for Saturday (today), in which proposals for amendments in various statutes will be considered according to the changing needs of the society.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry will head the commission, which will also consider law reform proposals for amendments in Section 426 and 497 of the Criminal Procedure Code, 1898, which relates to granting of bail to pregnant women and mothers of suckling babies languishing in jails.

Keeping in view the increasing complaints against investigating officers and its impact on society, the commission will consider proposals for amendments in the Pakistan Penal Code. It will also examine proposals to enhance the effectiveness of the Illegal Dispossession Act 2005 that aims to curb property grabbers, discuss proposals regarding settlement of disputes through alternative resolution mechanism, and the enhancement of the jurisdiction of family courts. In addition, the commission will also deliberate over the scope of the Smoking and Protection of Non-Smokers Health Ordinance 2002.

The commission will also examine proposals for amendments in High Court Rules and Orders, Service Tribunals Act, etc. According to sources, there are some very important law reform proposals on the cards.

The meeting will be attended by members of the commission including Attorney General, Irfan Qadir, Chief Justice of Federal Shariat Court Justice Agha Rafiq Ahmed Khan, Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court Justice Qazi Faez Isa,  Chief Justice of Sindh High Court Justice Mushir Alam, Chief Justice of Lahore High Court Justice Azmat Saeed, Chief Justice of Peshawar High Court Justice Dost Muhammad Khan, law secretary Yasmin Abbasey and Chief Justice of Islamabad High Court Justice Iqbal Hameed-ur-Rehman.

Besides, the newly appointed members of the commission, Justice (retd) Abdul Karim Khan Kundi, Abid Hassan Minto, and Syed Iqbal Haider will also attend the meeting for the first time.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 19^th, 2012.