Daily Times

Minister for Information and Broadcasting Chaudhry Fawad Hussain on Monday said modern technology would play a key role to ensure transparency in elections. Talking to a delegation of High Court Bar Association Islamabad and District Bar Association Islamabad, he apprised them about the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) in the elections.

The minister said that Punjab Bar Council, Rawalpindi Bar and Multan Bar had demanded holding of their upcoming elections through electronic voting machines (EVMs). Islamabad High Court Bar would also utilise this technology in their upcoming elections, the minister said. Fawad said that the government would extend every possible support to resolve any issues of the lawyers community. He said a proposal was under consideration to provide loans up upto Rs. one million to young lawyers aged less than 45 years under Kamyab Jawan Programme. He added that the leadership role of Bar Associations on important legal issues was imperative.

The minister informed that the Prime Minister has assigned him the responsibility to resolve issues of lawyers on priority. He said the Capital Development Authority (CDA) had also been directed to work on the construction of lawyers chambers on priority.

Fawad said a special package for lawyers was also under consideration which would be finalized after consultation with the State Bank of Pakistan, adding, young as well as women lawyers would also be benefited with the proposed package.

The Bar Association expressed their gratitude to the Federal Minister for resolving the issue of the Judicial Complex by including it in the master plan of federal capital and also making a PC-1 in this regard.

President Islamabad High Court Bar Association Islamabad Raja Zahid said no individual or institution would be above the accountability. Everyone, including judges, would be accountable before the law, he added.

Islamabad Bar was a role model, the bar president said adding, Bar and Bench always enjoyed good relations. Lawyers have always shown responsibility and would stand shoulder to shoulder for the betterment of the country, he said.

Among those who were part of the delegation were President of High Court Bar Association Islamabad Raja Zahid, Vice President Fazal Elahi, Joint Secretary Akhtar Mahmood, Finance Secretary Irfanullah Khan Bangikhel, Executive Members Fakhra Sultan, Rana Ali Akbar, Rana Tanveer, Sarfraz, Amna Ali.

District Bar Association Islamabad President Farid Hussain Kaif, Vice President Farzana Faisal, Chairman Executive Committee Raja Muhammad Saeed, Members of Executive Committee Syed Salahuddin Shah, Sardar Nasir, Shamsa Kayani, Chaudhry Faisal Mahmood, and Wasiullah were also accompanied with them.