Islamabad, June 1 (IANS) Pakistan’s new National Judicial Policy came into force Monday aiming at clearing a huge backlog of 1.5 million cases in trial courts and close to 140,000 cases at the high court and Supreme Court levels in one year.
The new policy, approved by the National Judicial Policy Making Committee (NJPMC), headed by Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, aims at “a year for focus on justice at the grassroots level”.

It has “set tall objectives which, if attained, would bring the country’s judiciary at par with the best in the world”, The News said Monday.

Lawyers, while welcoming the policy, hoped it would restore the confidence of the people on judicial system.

“A cross section of lawyers, while commenting on the new policy, said that the crime rate would lower with making it obligatory to decide family matters cases within three months and murder cases in six months,” The News said.

The policy also bars Supreme Court and high court judges from officiating as provincial governors and tightens the procedures to curb corruption.

The NJPMC, at a meeting chaired by Chaudhry April 19 approved the policy “for strict observance of the code of conduct, eradication of corruption amongst judicial officers/court staff and quick disposal of case”.

Supreme Court Registrar Faqir Hussain, who is the secretary of the policy-making committee, has said the people would experience a positive change with the implementation of the new policy.

Highlighting the salient features of the policy relating to the independence of the judiciary and its separation from the executive, he said at a briefing last month that in future no chief justice or judge of the superior courts would accept an appointment as acting governor of a province.

Similarly, no retired judge of the superior courts would accept an appointment that was lower to his status or dignity, including appointment as presiding officer of a banking court, a customs court or an administrative tribunal.

Hussain said judges of the superior courts would follow the code of conduct laid down for them.

Chief justices of the high courts would report violation of the code, including incidents of unusual delays and inefficient performance, to the Supreme Judicial Council for action.

To eradicate corruption, Hussain said, high courts will improve existing mechanisms and procedures for initiating disciplinary proceedings against corrupt and inefficient judicial officers.

Each high court, he said, a cell would be established under the registrar for eradicating corruption from the judiciary.

Similarly, Hussain said, district and sessions judges would also report about corruption and misconduct of their subordinate judges.

Referring to the judicial backlog, he said 19,055 cases were pending in the Supreme Court, 2,092 in the Federal Shariat Court, 84,704 in the Lahore High Court, 18,571 in the Sindh High Court, 10,363 in the Peshawar High Court and 4,160 in the Balochistan High Court.

This apart, 1,565,926 cases were pending before the subordinate judiciary in the four provinces.

If it happens, then I m sure it will hit the universal record( as for Pakistan). It will be a great example for the rest of the world. I strongly believe Pakistan is a country with alot of potential, once we made decision and put our hearts to accomplish something, no one can stop us. But I don’t know, I m bit cynical about the whole situation how will they cope with millions of cases, just in six months. I hope they will make it. keep rolling.

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Then let these shivers go on fire...
And these screams go blind...
And you go sore in the eyes your life is an abyss...
Where your shadow reached before You.

I believe there is much promise in this policy for the people of Pakistan and for the 'judiciary', 'as an institution'. I am pretty hopeful about the outcome of this policy and if it is implemented with letter and spirit (even to some extent) then the nation will feel that the long movement for revival of judiciary was really worth it.

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Long Live my Homeland

@Judicial policy.
Judicial policy is seems to me ideal rather than realistic. Pakistan, always sought comprehensive policies on the tables; but, unfortunately, these policies were not implemented on the grounds. I am confident that other countries will take inspiration from this model of judicial policy. But, Pakistan, will only reiterated the commitments in the seminars and in bar councils. History tells us that on economic front, South Korea adopted the economic policies. And, if I am not wrong that Malaysia also followed Pakistan’s economics policies. Compare Pakistan to these both countries, And decide yourselves !!!!!!!. I am not against this judicial policy but the problem is will it implement with letter and spirit????. Though I am optimistic in this respect. But history tells us different tale. I want commitments and actions not so-called lips services. If this judicial policy implement with letter and spirit, I am sure crime rate will decrease dramatically and people will expect speedy justices. And I am confident, Pakistan, will be ideal State for the rest of world. Let us be sanguine in this respect. But, it seems to me utopia. Before this we need to reform police sector. Eradicate corruption. To give mass awareness, impart standard education to children of Pakistan. And strengthened the institutions of Pakistan. And should take steps for the socio-economics projects that might reduce unemployment ratio. Only these measures can ensure reduction of crimes. We need to root out the causes that cause injustices.

Regards
Faisal Ahmed.

@ faisalmemon

Faisal u r right to some extent.But keep ur thinkng positive and hope 4 the best.I think this iz the first judicial policy in the whole history of Pakistan, before this no chief justice of Pakistan dare to present a jucail policy and the reason iz that all the people of Pakistan have now some hopes 4m chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Choadhry.Some people criticise this judicail policy on the ground that policy making iz the duty of the govt and not of judiciary but i think judiciary iz one of the organ of govt.And we must hope 4 the best that in the reinstatment of judiciary and chief justice people of Pakistan have palyed thier duty and now it iz the duty of chief justice to fulfill the hopes of the people of Pakistan.judicail policy iz the 1st step to the fufillment of the hopes of the people and the 2nd step iz the the implementation of such policy in a true sense.the first step has already been taken by chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Choadhry and we hope 4 his 2nd step of its positive implementation.

thanx

This was one of the important decisions taken at a meeting of the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee, chaired by its secretary Dr Faqir Hussain, at the Supreme Court registry here on Saturday.

The new policy will come into effect on Monday. It lays stress on independence of judiciary and expeditious disposal of cases.The committee’s decisions have been published in a 39-page booklet.
The body decided that no chief justice or judge of the superior court would accept appointment as acting governor of a province. No retired judge of the superior courts will accept an appointment which is lower than his status or dignity. Instead of appointing retired judges/judicial officers as presiding officers of special tribunals, qualified serving judges will be appointed in consultation with the chief justice of the high court.A cell for eradication of corruption from the judiciary will be set up at the registrar office of every high court. Corrupt judges should be promptly prosecuted and incentives be given to honest, efficient and hard-working judicial officers.

The committee decided that police or investigating agencies would submit their reports within 14 days in compliance with 173 CrPC and district police officers would ensure implementation and lodge complaints against SHOs who failed to comply.All criminal cases punishable with imprisonment for up to seven years after Jan one this year will be kept on fast track for disposal within six months whereas those over seven years will be decided within a year, including death cases.In case of non-representation of an accused by counsel, which is a major source of delay, chief justices of high courts, in consultation with legal aid committees, will provide lawyers to them.

writ petitions under Article 199 of the Constitution should be heard on the working day following the filing and be disposed of as quickly as possible: usually within 60 days if pertaining to service disputes, including promotion, transfer and other matters or relating to admission of students in professional colleges and allied matters.

Rent cases should be decided in four months.

Judges of the high courts should carry out inspections of prisons periodically to ensure compliance with the prison rules and provide on-the-spot relief where necessary, the committee resolved.

It asked the government to provide adequate funds for infrastructure support. It also called for computerisation at all levels of judicial hierarchy. Video-conferencing facilities between courts and jails would help in early disposal of cases,

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paesh

I think new judicial policy may serve as a milestone in Pakistan's history,if it is implemented in letter and spirit.our problem in last six decades has been our unmindfulness towards providing speedy justice to people.In our country injustice has been the order of the day.Here people are behind bars for years without being proved of commission of any offence but our trial courts cause inordinate delay.IF OUR COURT GIVES A DECISION IN ,SAY FIVE YEARS THAT MR.X IS GUILTY OF A CRIME AND SHOULD BE GIVEN 8 YEARS PUNISHMENT OF IMPRISONMENT.now mr.x files an appeal with high court which gives decision that mr x is not guilty and hence should be released as free and respectable citizen.NOW,IF WE SEE IN RETROSPECT,MR X HAS ALREADY SPENT FIVE AND HALF YEARS IN IMPRISONEMENT WITHOUT ANY REASON BECAUSE HIGH COURT DECLARES HIM AS INNOCENT CITIZEN.ALTHOUGH MR X IS INNOCENT BUT OUR FAULTY JUDICIAL SYSTEM PUTS HIM FIVE AND HALF YEARS IN JAIL ,ONLY TO DECIDE WHETHER HE IS OFFENDER OR NOT.IN OUR COUNTRY MR X IS NORMALLY A POOR FARMER ,WHO REFUSES TO ACCEPT ORDERS OF HIS LANDLORD.THUS,LANDLORD ASKS POLICE OFFICER OF AREA TO FILE A FALSE FIR AGAINST POOR FARMER.THUS IT COSTS 5 AND HALF YEARS IN JAIL TO PROVE HIMSELF INNOCENT IN COURT BECAUSE OF INEFFICIENT AND CUMBERSOME PROCESS OF TRIAL COURTS.IN SHORT,JUDICIAL POLICY IS ONLY A POLICY BUT PAKISTAN NEEDS DRASTIC CHANGES IN ITS JUDICIAL SYSTEM.WE ALWAYS MAKE MANY POLICIES BUT IMPLEMENTATION IS ALSO NECESSARY.IDEA OF WINDING UP OF 1.5 MILLION TRIAL CASES SOUNDS GOOD TO EARS BUT OUR HISTORY HIS PROVES THAT IT IS PRACTICALLY IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE WE DONT HAVE ENOUGH JUDGES AT LOWER LEVEL,WE DONT HAVE ENOUGH TRIAL COURTS,WE HAVE BIG POPULATION AND LESS JUDICIAL STRENGTH TO MEET JUDICIAL DEMAND OF SUCH A BIG POPULATION.OUR SOLUTION LIES IN CHANGING OF SYSTEM AND NOT MAKING OF POLICIES WHICH R NEVER IMPLEMENTED.OUR JUDICIAL SYSTEM IS BASED UPON FRAMEWORK,WHICH MASTERS(BRITISH) MADE FOR SLAVES.IN SHORT WE R OPTIMISTIC ONLY TO BECOME PASSIMISTIC

judicial policy will have no effect on us.reinstated judges are also involved in corruption.recently,CJ lhr high court,Mr.justice khawaja sharif recruited his cousins in rawalpindi bench without conducting any test or interview.both of his cousins were recruited under article 26,which states that CJ can solve any matter of high court in any way.no Assist.registrar can use car etc but both have been given new cultus........there are many cases like that.......former deposted judges and new judicial policy is not a sacred book or doctrine.....so,there will be no end to public miseries....


regards

__________________
COMMITMENT IS ESSENTIAL FOR ACHIEVEMENT!
ROAD TO SUCCESS IS COLD & LONELY!!
WHERE THERE'S A WILL,THERE'S A WAY!!!

[QUOTE=nazlili21]@ faisalmemon

Faisal u r right to some extent.But keep ur thinkng positive and hope 4 the best.I think this iz the first judicial policy in the whole history of Pakistan, before this no chief justice of Pakistan dare to present a jucail policy and the reason iz that all the people of Pakistan have now some hopes 4m chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Choadhry.Some people criticise this judicail policy on the ground that policy making iz the duty of the govt and not of judiciary but i think judiciary iz one of the organ of govt.And we must hope 4 the best that in the reinstatment of judiciary and chief justice people of Pakistan have palyed thier duty and now it iz the duty of chief justice to fulfill the hopes of the people of Pakistan.judicail policy iz the 1st step to the fufillment of the hopes of the people and the 2nd step iz the the implementation of such policy in a true sense.the first step has already been taken by chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Choadhry and we hope 4 his 2nd step of its positive implementation.

@Dear Nazlili21
I respect your views. And appreciate your endeavor for this post. But, dear, if, I am not wrong that you are aspirant of CSS Examination. My advice is to you that it had better for you that you must consult with English Teacher. It may help you in order comprehend English language and English vocabulary. However, dear, I want to make you clear that I only decried on implementation of policy on the ground. And did not criticized on the judicial policy. The government of Pakistan need to strengthened the institutions not the persons. Nevertheless, dear, I hope that you will revisit my post and will throw comment.

Regards
Faisal Ahmed Memon

[QUOTE=Faisalmemon] @ faisal

thanx 4 ur nice and sincere advice.main koshesh karungi k app k advise ko follow karun.