Daily Times

The Ministry of Law and Justice and the Federal Government of Pakistan on Thursday vehemently rejected the press release issued by the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan (SCBAP). The Law Ministry in its press release stated that it was absolutely incorrect to suggest that lawyers, Bar Associations and Bar Councils were not consulted. Vide two letters bearing References Nos. 4(88)/2018-LR dated 03.12.2021 and F.No.4(88)/2018-LR dated 16.12.2021 the complete Criminal Reforms document was sent out to the Pakistan Bar Council, all the Provincial Bar Councils, the Supreme Court Bar Association and all the High Court Bar Associations of the country and were requested to give their input. However, none till date has given any input, which as per an elementary principle of law implies that they have nothing to add and they are happy with Criminal Reforms document. Therefore, to say that lawyers, Bar Associations and Bar Councils have not been consulted was totally misleading. No infirmity in the Criminal Reforms had been pointed out in the so-called Press Release of the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan. Without commenting on the Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan and its role, the Ministry of Law and Justice and the Federal Government were of the considered view that Lawyers’ community of Pakistan expressed gratitude to the Federal Minister for Law and Justice, Dr. Barrister Farogh Naseem for proposing extensive reforms in the Criminal Justice System for the first time in the last more than seven decades since the inception of Pakistan. This has been a genuine and sincere effort on part the Federal Law Minister. Meanwhile, Minister for Information Chaudhry Fawad Hussain Thursday sought the role of judiciary and legal fraternity for implementing ‘Criminal Law and Justice Reforms’ launched by Prime Minister Imran Khan earlier in the day. The initiative was a big leap forward towards implementation of the rule of law in letter and spirit, he said while apprising delegations of tehsil, districts, and high court bar associations of Rawalpindi, Jhelum, Mansehra, Havelian and Abbottabad about the reforms here. Fawad assured the bar representatives of the government’s full cooperation in resolving their issues on priority.