Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry on Thursday underscored the need for judicial reforms and said that it will be the biggest service that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government can provide for the people. Addressing a gathering at the Islamabad High Court Bar Association, Chaudhry said that lawyers are a necessary cog for any reforms in the judiciary and that without them there can be no change. “Law reforms will help the economy and will also create better opportunities for lawyers. A master plan is being concocted and after the approval from Prime Minister Imran Khan, a high rise building will be dedicated to law offices. This will be a new dimension in litigation,” he said. India has been taught a lesson, says Fawad Chaudhry. The information minister highlighted the importance of bar associations and said they will also be taken on board or the reforms. “We have to take a look at the procedure for inducting judges to the high courts,” he said. He emphasised the need for creating a judicial system that is equal for the rich and the poor. Taking a hit at the current system he said that when a rich person is jailed, his cell is like a five-star hotel. He also said that it should not just seem like justice is served, it should actually be served otherwise Pakistan will not move forward. He also took a hit at the country’s media organisations, saying libel cases have become a joke as they do not have any effect on the offenders and said that defamation laws should be looked into. “Two separate judges should be assigned to each district to deal primarily with the media and defamation laws,” said the information minister. Published in Daily Times, March 15th 2019.