Anti-land mafia law to be enforced soon: Senate, NA have approved Act: Aziz
ISLAMABAD, June 27: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz said on Monday the government has prepared a comprehensive law to eliminate land mafia and it will be enforced soon. Talking to a delegation of Pakistan Muslim League lawyers’ wing at Prime Minister’s House, he said the Illegal Disposition Act 2005 had been approved by the Senate and National Assembly and it would be shortly implemented after the president signed it.
The prime minister said after the implementation of the law, a victim of land mafia could directly apply to a sessions judge who would conduct an inquiry within 14 days and could issue repossession order. The judge would be bound to decide a case of land occupation within 60 days, he added.
He said another package of legal reforms had been presented in the National Assembly by the government which was now with a standing committee. “These reforms will improve the judicial system and enhance punishment for registering fake FIRs.”
He said the government was determined to provide quick and inexpensive justice to the people and was taking required steps in this regard.
Mr Aziz said the government had taken special interest in amending the relevant laws to improve them for the benefit of the common man.
He said legislation done by the present government over past 10 months was unprecedented in the country’s parliamentary history.
Referring to the importance of lawyers in the society, he urged them to help the government in improving the legal system and asked them to submit recommendations and proposals in this regard.
The prime minister said the government was determined to improve the legal system to ensure speedy and quick justice to the masses as ‘justice delayed is justice denied’.
He said under the Access to Justice Programme, the government was providing necessary equipment and imparting training to lawyers and judges to enhance capacity of the judiciary.
He said new courts and bars were being set up whereas books, computers and other infrastructure were being provided to the bars to improve their efficiency.
He said due to the complicated legal system, a poor man had to spend his whole life to seek justice and added an improvement in the judicial system was a service to the nation and country.
Mr Aziz said he had talked to the chief justice to find ways and means to dispose of pending cases without further delay.
He said few years ago, the country was about to be declared bankrupt but the present government made sincere efforts and now the country’s image in the world community had been improved and its economy was rapidly growing.
He said strong internal security, credible defence, balanced and effective foreign policy, powerful political system, growing economy and free press were essential ingredients of progress and prosperity of the country.
He said it was due to government policies and endeavours that Pakistan had revived its status in the world and added that President Musharraf had respect and honour in the international community.
The prime minister said free press was must to promote healthy traditions in politics and added that despite ‘negative’ criticism in the press, the government had given it complete freedom.
Minister of State for Law Shahid Akram Bhinder, PML Secretary-General Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, Senator Nisar Memon, PML Lawyers’ Wing President Justice (Retd) Mohammad Azam and Secretary-General Aslam Zaar were present in the meeting.
