April 17, 2008	Thursday	Rabi-us-Sani 10, 1429

ISLAMABAD, April 16: Law Minister Farooq H. Naek has said the government will ensure release of all missing persons and details in this respect were being collected.

Talking to relatives of four missing persons who had called on him on Wednesday, the minister asked them to submit necessary details, including copies of FIRs and other relevant documents, so that the authorities concerned could be directed to pursue the matter.

Mr Naek assured them that after the details were provided, efforts would be made to trace their relatives.

Later talking to a delegation of the Islamabad Bar Association, he said the coalition government was committed to the reinstatement of deposed judges in accordance with the Murree Declaration. “By ordering the release of deposed judges after taking the oath, Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani has started the process of their reinstatement.”

Mr Naek said his ministry was working on amendments to the National Accountability Bureau Ordinance and these would soon be introduced soon.

He said the government was working on a number of proposals to improve the functioning of courts, including introduction of evening shift to clear the backlog of cases.

He said the government was planning to set up an autonomous ‘public defender office’ to provide justice to poor people. “We are also planning to do away with the surety law because it is difficult for the poor people to meet the surety requirements.”

Similarly, he said, the government was working to introduce a provision under which if a murder case was not decided within two years the accused would be able to get bail, and if other cases were not settled within a year the accused would be eligible to get bail.