15 January 2005	Saturday	04 Zilhaj 1425

ISLAMABAD, Jan 14: Law Minister Wasi Zafar on Friday defended establishment of the federal court and said such courts would help create a conducive climate to lure back both local and foreign investors through expeditious disposal of commercial disputes.

Talking to reporters at the Supreme Court building, the minister brushed aside the impression that the federal court was an attempt to introduce parallel judiciary.

He said those opposing the idea should comment after going through the complete text of the proposed bill. It is time to abandon the conventional approach since the world has moved far ahead of us, Mr Zafar said.

The Pakistan Bar Council and the Supreme Court Bar Association and people from the legal fraternity had opposed the constitution of the federal court by declaring it a parallel judiciary.

The minister said the federal court was a step towards improving administration of justice to provide speedy and expeditious relief to the people especially the business community.

He said delays in disposal of commercial disputes had discouraged both local and foreign investors to invest in Pakistan, thus slowing down economic activity. On Thursday, the government had unfolded two proposed bills of which one was regarding the establishment of the federal court. The proposed court would deal with financial disputes involving business, federal taxes and investment.

He said the federal court was being created under Article 175 of the Constitution in which it had clearly been stated that: "There shall be a Supreme Court of Pakistan, a High Court for each provinces and such other courts may be established by law."