04 November 2004	Thursday	20 Ramazan 1425

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ISLAMABAD, Nov 3: The government is considering setting up a federal court in the capital, Minister for Law and Justice Mohammad Wasi Zafar said on Wednesday.

Speaking at a function of the Pakistan Services Bar Association, the minister said an ordinance regarding elections of the bar councils was also under consideration and there was a possibility of changing the election schedules of the councils.

He said the government wanted reforms in the judicial system according to the wishes of the masses. Changes in the judicial system would be introduced after consultation with the lawyers community and experts in order to make it serve people at the grass-roots level.

He said the judicial system must deliver speedy and inexpensive justice to all the people equally. Therefore, changes in the present judicial setup as well as laws and bringing them on a par with modern needs of the society was the need of the hour and the government had realized it and was making efforts in this regard, he added.

He said the government was also interested in coming up with new laws to reform the judicial infrastructure. Amendments to the services laws would be introduced soon, he said.

Mr Zafar said suggestions and proposals of the services bars would be elicited for amending the laws.

President of the Pakistan Services Bar Association Shoaib Shaheen demanded that the criteria for federal and provincial tribunals should be made equivalent to that of the judges of high courts and quota for journalists be allocated so that the tribunals become independent and operate freely.

The services bar secretary-general, Sardar Abdul Razzak Khan advocate, said the lawyers community would back the government's move for restoration of democracy and rule of Constitution. However, he said, the government would have to consult lawyers before making any amendments to the judicial system in order to ensure positive lawmaking.

President of High Court Bar Malik Mohammad Nawaz, general secretary Shahzad Ghaiba, member of the Pakistan Bar Council Malik Rabnawaz Noon, Islamabad Bar Association president Aleem Abbasi, general secretary Raja Qamar Abbas, vice-president of the Pakistan Services Bar Association Kazim Hussain Kazmi, joint secretary G.N. Shah, members of Punjab Bar Council Raja Shafqat Abbasi and Raja Shahzad Zulqarnain and a number of senior lawyers were present on the occasion.