ISLAMABAD, Oct 1: Law Minister Muhammad Wasi Zafar has claimed that amendment in Article 63-1(d), introduced through the 17th Amendment, does not oblige President Pervez Musharraf to shed his uniform.

"No other interpretation of the provision is possible," the minister said at a news conference here on Friday after a meeting with members of the bar associations and the bar councils.

However, he added that the president had not yet taken any decision about the issue. The law minister also announced that the government had withdrawn a proposed amendment in Section 54-A of the Legal Practitioners and Bar Councils Act, 1973.

The amendment was intended to enlarge powers of the superior courts to suspend or disbar advocates not only for professional misconduct but for "other misconduct."

With the withdrawal of the proposed amendment, the existing disciplinary provisions would continue to hold, which provided for disciplinary committees comprising elected representatives of the bar, headed by a judge of a relevant superior court.

The Pakistan Bar Council had opposed the amendment, saying it would usurp the existing jurisdiction of the bar councils. The law minister said the government would soon bring reforms in the judicial system to provide speedy and inexpensive justice to the people.

Referring to the huge number of pending cases in different courts, the minister said the government was following a policy to fill vacant posts in both the superior judiciary and subordinate courts. Currently, 21 seats were vacant in the superior judiciary, he said.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, he said, had asked him to reactivate the judicial system by proper implementation of laws. In this regard, proposals would be sought from the bar councils, bar associations and the judiciary to introduce unanimously agreed upon proposals in the reforms package.

He said that procedural laws should be made in accordance with the present day requirements. Over 200 schemes under the 'Access to Justice Programme' would be completed during the current year, he said.

Likewise, new courtrooms and residences for the judges would be constructed in addition to providing computers and furniture and building other infrastructure. He said that services and labour laws would also be improved besides opinion would be sought to set up a Federal Court, to shed load of the higher courts.

He said about 100 human rights organizations would be associated with the law ministry's Human Rights Wing to create awareness among the masses about their fundamental rights.

He also stated that the prime minister had agreed to create a research cell in the ministry for regular revision of laws. He said that opinion on international contracts would be given in 15 days by the law ministry.