PESHAWAR, March 28: The Shaheed Bhutto Foundation has launched a body called the People’s Legal Aid (PLA), aimed at providing free services to deserving people.

It will also initiate public interest litigation, work towards protection of consumer rights and monitor human rights violations.

Speaking to newsmen at the press club here on Wednesday, chief of the newly-launched body, Qazi Mohammad Anwar, said it would also launch an awareness campaign on legal issues and educate people on misuse of laws. The SBF president Dar Kamal, Prof Ghafoor Khan and advocate Muzammal Khan were also present.

Mr Anwar said the PLA would help the deserving prisoners, identified through a recent survey conducted by the SBF in Peshawar, Mardan, Charsadda, Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Hazara, Swat and other parts of the province.

He said lawyers’ committees would be established at the high court and district bars levels.

The PLA would publish and distribute pamphlets containing translation of various provisions of the Constitution, Criminal Procedure Code, Pakistan Penal Code and other relevant laws. Seminars on legal issues would also be organised, he said.