December 30, 2006	Saturday	Zilhaj 08, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 29: Former vice-chancellor, University of Chittagong, Dr Alamgir Muhammad Serajuddin, has called upon the South Asian countries to share judicial experiences with each other to boost the process of dispensation of justice especially in cases related to women and children.

He was delivering a lecture on: “Shariah law, secular courts and Muslim women of South Asia. The lecture was organized by the Islamic Research Institute (IRI), International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI). Dr Zafar Ishaq Ansari, Director General IRI, Dr SM Zaman, Director General Shariah Academy, Dr Mahmood Ahmad Sharafuddin, Dean Faculty of Arabic and a number of scholars and jurists were present on the occasion.

Appreciating judicial activism in cases related to Muslim Family Law, Dr Serajuddin said that what Pakistan and Bangladesh wanted to get through legislation was achieved by Indian courts through judicial interpretations. He said that as India, Pakistan and Bangladesh share the same judicial traditions, there was no harm in sharing such experiences and conclusions for improvement in dispensation especially in cases related to women. Dr Serajuddin appreciated Pakistani judiciary for its active part in interpreting Muslim Family Laws, but added that Muslims in India needed to develop consensus on judicial interpretation of Muslim Family Laws.

Dr Zafar Ishaq Ansari, in his presidential remarks said that where politics divides, Islam plays the role of a unifying force and the example of Bangladesh proves that. Mrs. Tahira Abdullah, one of the participants and human rights activist, paid tribute to Pakistani judiciary for its active role in cases related to human rights and the dignity of women.