05 October 2004	Tuesday	19 Shaban 1425

RAWALPINDI, Oct 4: Federal Minister for Law, Justice and Human Rights Wasi Zafar on Monday said more than 120 judges would be appointed to remove the prevailing shortage of judicial staff in courts.

Before these new appointments, shortage of courts and assisting staff will also be removed, the minister said while speaking to the District Bar Association here. He said efforts were being made for the construction of Rawalpindi Court Complex.

Budgetary allocation for judiciary will also be increased next year, he said. The minister emphasized that cases related to family, rent and contempt should be quickly disposed of. Steps are also being taken to ensure that police and other law-enforcement agencies submit challan of any case to the courts within the given time.

He also expressed concern over, what he said, non- implementation of laws, leading to delay in the dispensation of justice. Laws do exist, but not acted upon, he observed.

Mr Zafar said solving people's problems was his top priority, and he had taken steps to do away with constitutional complexities to make the legal process easy and provide speedy justice to people.

He also sought help from lawyers in removing the hurdles in the implementation of laws. He said any proposals in this regard could be sent to him by December 31. And, in the light of these suggestions, steps would be taken to eliminate any shortcomings, he added.

The minister called for adopting a modern judicial system to provide speedy justice to the people. He said bar and bench should jointly struggle to serve the country and the people. The masses would certainly get relief from this collaboration, he said.

About recruitment of women judges in courts, he said, women could become judges of high court if they were competent. But first, they will have to get experience of the profession in the lower courts, he added.

Replying to a question about loans for lawyers, he said they should file a writ in this respect because the lenders and lending loaning institutions had their own rules and regulations.

"I, for one, once failed to get a loan," he said. There is no need to amend the laws for this purpose, he said, adding that lawyers had the right to move courts in this respect.

Speaking on the occasion, District Bar President Syed Ghanzanfar Ali Shah stressed the need for bringing changes in the laws to make them up to date and provide quick relief to the masses. This will restore people's confidence in the courts, he said.