CJP calls for revamping of outdated laws

KARACHI: The Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, termed the delay in dispensation of justice as intolerable and called for revamping the outdated civil and criminal laws.

Addressing the foundation stone laying ceremony of Supreme Court Karachi Branch Registry near the Sindh High Court on Tuesday, the chief justice said the rule of law is essential for progress of any nation. He said the entire judicial system requires revamping, the civil and criminals laws need to be reformed and there is a pressing need to reduce the backlog of the pending cases. He said the litigants are rightfully disappointed with the judicial system when they could not get justice even after a lapse of 12 to 14 years.

The CJP observed that civil litigation could be reduced through mediation and arbitration and emphasized the need for introducing mediation mechanism in the curriculum so the future generation could benefit from such practices for resolving the civil disputes.

The Chief Justice observed that frivolous litigation should be discouraged by imposition of fines and cost on the litigants.

He said the Supreme Court will make recommendations to improve the criminal laws and revamp the outdated 1866 police law so the difficulties in the dispensation of justice could be addressed. Justice Nisar said the judicial system has not failed, however the judges are facing difficulties to dispose of the huge backlog of cases. Referring to the situation in Punjab, he said a magistrate has to decide an average of 160 cases in a day which is impossible.

He said time has come that people sacrifice for the welfare of the country and work with honesty expressing the hope that country will move forward when every citizen pays his due role. He also emphasized for effective utilization of water resources and observed that water crises in the city could be addressed by taking action against the water mafia. He said the beverage companies are consuming billions of gallons of sub-soil water and wasting it without treatment. He said legal solution is of imposing taxes on the commercial water use which will be used for improvement of water resources and the establishment of dams. The CJP also advocated taking up population control as a campaign, saying the resources are coming under a severe crunch with the growing population which will be 400 to 450 million in the next 25 to 30 years with the current growth rate.

The CJP congratulated the citizens of Karachi over the proposed building of the SC Karachi branch registry and expressed the hope that the judges will dispense justice in the new building and strengthen the institution. The judges of the Supreme Court, the Sindh High Court, sessions judges and bar representatives also attended the ceremony.