LAHORE: The National Judicial Policy Making Committee amended on Saturday a policy introduced by former chief justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and allowed posting of judicial officers in the executive on deputation.

A meeting of the committee, chaired by Chief Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jillani, took the decision on a request of the ministry of law for posting of judicial officers in the ministry on deputation in relaxation of the national judicial policy.

The former chief justice had discontinued in 2009 postings of serving judges against executive posts in federal as well as provincial government departments on deputation and all such judges working in the executive were repatriated to their high courts. The decision was made to expedite disposal of cases pending with the courts and to maintain independence of the judiciary.

The committee noted that the posting of judicial officers against executive posts was against the principle of independence of judiciary.

“However, keeping in view the difficulties of the law ministry/law departments, the high courts may allow judicial officers to join law department/ministry, but in such case, the judicial officer shall sever his relation with the judiciary,” said a declaration issued by the committee.

In his introductory remarks, Chief Justice Jillani said the country was passing through a crucial phase and confronting various problems, including extremism and intolerance.

He said that by promoting tolerance and protecting fundamental rights, a harmonious society could be established.

Since the judiciary was an important organ of the state, it could play a vital role in promoting tolerance by ensuring justice, the chief justice observed.

He conceded that the judiciary still lagged behind in making optimum use of information technology. Installation of a unified integrated information system would promote access to information and improve courts’ efficiency by reducing time-consuming paper-based processes, Justice Jillani said.

Justice Jillani constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Justice Anwar Zaheer Jamali of the Supreme Court to propose rules for implementation of alternative dispute resolution mechanism.

The committee approved a suggestion of the chief Justice to declare 2014 as a year for ‘Promotion of Religious and Cultural Tolerance’.