PESHAWAR, Dec 17: A true democracy cannot be established in Pakistan unless the judiciary is independent and due rights are given to common men.

This was said by human rights activist Asma Jehangir at a four-day international seminar on ‘Restorative justice system’ here on Wednesday.

Ms Jehangir, who is also special rapporteur of the United Nations on human rights, said the justice system in Pakistan was neither efficient nor interpretative, and added that it was biased against women and ethnic minorities.

The seminar was organized by the FIA to discuss the judicial system, and participants came from the United States and UK apart from local lawyers, rights activists, etc.

Ms Jehangir said when injustices prevailed in a country the crime rate also increased. “Democracy cannot be restored in a society until the judiciary is independent and the legal rights of the common man cannot be ensured in such a situation,” she said.

The former chief of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan cited the example of Afghanistan where crimes and injustice were going hand in hand.

She claimed that most of the cases registered under the Blasphemy Law were fabricated against ethnic minorities.

She said legislation should be done after an open debate and added that laws should treat the weak and the strong equally. Lawyers could play an important role in restoring and delivering justice, she added.

She said juvenile courts were mostly not available and juveniles were tried in normal courts which was against the international law. The under-trial women and juveniles had no access to lawyer, she said, adding that was why almost 80 per cent of women prisoners were in jails without any legal aid.

“We should demand for individual rights as justice is the right of each individual”. Expertise and use of latest technology was also necessary for the improvement of the justice system, she said.