ISLAMABAD:
Balochistan was given the smallest budget under the Access to Justice Programme, initiated by government in 2002 to reform the judicial system.
An amount of Rs6.52 billion has been spent under the programme so far. New courtrooms, housing for lawyers, judicial complexes, public amenities, police stations, jails and barracks in existing jails have been constructed under the programme.
New electronic equipment has been provided to various judicial institutes. Furthermore, a total of 6681 law books were provided to libraries of bar associations and high courts across the country.
An amount of $350 million was loaned to the government by the Asian Development Bank in order to pave the way for these reforms. However, official documents reveal that set goals have been missed as there is a “lack of political will” by different administrative departments, according to Mushtaq Ahmed Qazi, a senior joint secretary in the ministry of law and justice, who also holds additional charge of the programme.
“The programme will achieve its goals by the end of 2014,” said Qazi. Official documents obtained by The Express Tribune stated that around 11 development schemes of different justice institutes were completed in the federal capital at a cost of Rs250.1 million. As many as 548 development schemes related to different judicial offices costing Rs6.2 billion were also completed.
Province-wise
Just like normal budgetary process, the money allotted under the programme flows down to four provinces via the finance division. The least budget is reserved for Balochistan which is allotted an amount of Rs693 million.
Punjab received the maximum amount of Rs3.9 billion. Of this, an automation project for the provincial prosecution department was approved at a cost of Rs43 million. A programme for trial through video-conferencing between Central Jail and District Judiciary Jail in Lahore, implemented at a cost of Rs2 million, was among completed projects.
Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) received Rs1.53 billion. Posts of 216 additional district and sessions judges, 128 senior civil judges along with 1447 posts of allied staff were created and funded at a cost of Rs183.2 million. An independent prosecution department was established and wireless equipment costing Rs79.6 million and prison vans costing Rs91 million were provided to the K-P police. Sindh received Rs1.74 billion for completion of several projects under the programme.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 1st, 2012.
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The writer wants to create a controvercy. Balochistan has the smallest population (less than Lahore) and least number of courts as per its need. If the allocation is seen against the courts, it is equitably distributed. The question is whether the allocated amount was spent judiciously or not.