The Task Force on Civil Law Reforms on Thursday announced that it has devised a policy to reform the Code of Civil Procedure in order to bring it in line with present day issues, a private TV channel reported. The task force submitted a report in this regard to the Supreme Court on behalf of the Law and Justice Division saying it seeks to provide ‘fair, substantial, inexpensive and speedy justice’ to the people. The report stated that a core team focused on the task of civil law reforms had been created based on the recommendations of Federal Minister for Law and Justice Dr Farogh Naseem. This team has already started the process of drafting amendments to the code in line with the government’s policy. The report added that the law minister had recommended taking into consideration recommendations made by senior lawyer Zafar Iqbal Kalanuri in a detailed presentation in which the latter had outlined issues affecting the civil justice system as well as proposed solutions to them. These recommendations included the need for effective alternative dispute resolution methods. The task force has listed its terms of reference (ToR), which include the speedy and effective disposal of cases; ensuring fair trial; possibilities for an effective alternative dispute resolution; reduction of incompetence and corruption; amendment of archaic substantive and procedural civil laws; adjudication according to accepted judicial and statutory principles of law; expansion of the judiciary with respect to the number of judges; provision of even-handed justice; and a complete overhaul of the civil justice system, including the laws of evidence. Published in Daily Times, November 9th 2018.