ISLAMABAD, July 1: Speakers at the first round of 'knowledge-sharing seminars' organized jointly by the Asian Development Bank and Pakistan government in three cities expressed their satisfaction over the progress so far achieved under their Access to Justice Programme (AJP).

Meant to share the key successes and challenges of AJP with civil society, bar associations, media and other stakeholders of the judicial reforms, the seminars held at Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar reviewed the steps taken so far to realize the objectives of the programme, says an ADB press release.

The AJP, the speakers observed, was making headway to advance a 'pro-poor' judicial system in Pakistan. Besides promulgating the Police Order and soliciting commitments from superior judiciary, the programme had generally resulted in speedy disposal of cases, they asserted.

Terming increased budgetary support to the justice sector a 'major success', they noted that annual development spending was rising across the four provinces: from 37 per cent to 40 per cent at the high court level; from 21 per cent to 26 per cent for the sessions courts; and from 10 per cent to 14 per cent in the civil courts.

The AJP also aims to reduce delay in disposal of court cases by helping in expediting the procedures and improving service delivery by judicial institutions.

"Many districts are now achieving and even surpassing developed country standards." For instance, no case, civil or criminal, is older than two years in Multan and Abbottabad, noted one keynote speaker.