Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar Sunday said that the alternative dispute resolution (ADR) seemed to be the only solution to cases backlog in the country.
He was speaking at the concluding session of 2nd three-day
Punjab Women Judges Conference, organised by the Punjab Judicial Academy here.
The chief justice said “model courts, if they are not at
the cost of delaying ordinary litigation and providing privilege
to those who need it and not those who don’t, then we should
embrace them as a need of the day.”
Chief Justice Saqib Nisar said: “We’re lucky that we are
governed by a written constitution. This written constitution
enshrines fundamental rights and if we go through the relevant
chapter, those fundamental rights make no discrimination in male
or female.”
He said that unfortunately in rustic societies, there might be
situations where women were not treated well. “But in the cities,
I feel that women are in quite better condition.”
He said that there was no difference between a civil judge
first class and a Supreme Court judge. Both are meant to dispense
justice according to the law and no one can do it according to
his own will.
The CJ said that being the father of the institution, he would
advise every judge to know the law and apply it in letter and
spirit.
He congratulated Lahore High Court chief justice for highlighting the issues related to gender-based violence cases
(GBVCs) and gender sensitivity. He appreciated the efforts made in conducting courses and trainings.
LHC Chief Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and other judges, Registrar Syed Khurshid Anwar Rizvi, Director General District
Judiciary Muhammad Akmal Khan, Director General Punjab Judicial Academy Mah Rukh Aziz and other judicial officers were also
present.
Addressing the audience, Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said that
violence faced by women took physical, verbal, psychological
and economic forms. He encouraged women judges to fight against
elements which perpetuated violence against women.
He acknowledged the need for better access to justice for
women through impartiality in adjudication, and reaffirmed his
commitment to equality and non-discrimination for all judges,
irrespective of gender.
The LHC CJ also appreciated Justice Ayesha A Malik for
organizing the second successful conference and thanked the
donors including EU, UNODC, ADB, WB and Asia Foundation.
Justice Mansoor Ali Shah shared with the participants the
figures of the cases decided by the ADR centres and model
courts.
Justice Ayesha Malik of the Lahore High Court discussed
recommendations, put forward by speakers, and inspired women
judges to encourage a women-friendly non-discriminatory environment
within their courtrooms.
Chairperson of Punjab Commission on the Status of Women (PCSW)
Ms Fauzia Viciar, Justice Susana Medina, President of IAWJ, Justice Eusebia Munuo, Justice of the Court of Appeal in Tanzania,
Justice Saida Chebili, President of the Court of Sousse in Tunisia,
Justice Ann Walsh Bradley of the Supreme Court of Wisconsin,
Ms Mehreen Siddiqi from PCSW, ADSJ Shazib Saeed, Ms Anne Goldstein,
Justice Eusebia Munuo of Ghana and Dr Robyn Layton, former Supreme
Court Judge in South Australia, also spoke at difference sessions
of the conference.

Source: APP