KARACHI: The Sindh Assembly was informed on Tuesday that all pauper accused persons in criminal cases were provided with free lawyers by the courts concerned and their fee was being paid properly by the provincial government.

Furnishing a statement and answering lawmakers’ written and verbal queries during Question Hour in the provincial assembly on behalf of the chief minister, who holds the portfolio of law department, Excise, Taxation and Narcotics Minister Mukesh Kumar Chawla told the house that the provincial government had allocated an amount of Rs3.435 million under the head of law charges to disburse the fee of the advocates for the poor undertrial prisoners who could not afford to engage lawyers for their defence due to financial constraints.

Replying to a written question asked by Grand Democratic Alliance’s member Arif Mustafa Jatoi, he added that the provincial government through its law department embarked upon a public-private partnership with Legal Aid Society, a non-governmental organisation, to continue its flagship project titled Sindh Legal Advisory Call Centre.

The minister said that the SLACC helpline (0800-70806) operated round-the-clock and callers might record their queries after live hours which were from 9am to 5pm. “Response on the recorded calls is given to the caller next day,” he added.

He said that free legal advice was given by experienced and senior lawyers on any legal matter in a language chosen by the caller.

The minister told the lawmakers that each and every legal advice was overseen and checked by a former judge of the Supreme Court and the caller’s identity and queries were kept confidential.

The minister said that LSA, which also provided free legal representation to undertrial prisoners, was given grant-in-aid by the provincial government.

Responding to a supplementary question raised by Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf member Rabia Azfar Nizamani, he said that model courts had been established in the province for expeditious disposal of pending cases. He said that the government would welcome proposals from the opposition for speedy justice.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan member Javed Hanif asked the minister as to what measures were being taken for the release of those poor and helpless convicts who were still languishing in jails for a long time due to non-payment of the fines imposed on them.

He said that allocated amount of Rs34m under the head of free legal aid was too meagre and demanded of the provincial government to enhance the allocation to ensure that poor convicts were released after payment of fine.

Pakistan Peoples Party member Faryal Talpur suggested to the minister to call the list of all those convicts who were not released due to non-payment of fines despite completing their respective jail terms.

Replying to a written question asked by GDA member Nusrat Sehar Abbasi, Mr Chawla said that a project of Rs48.833m of construction of two court buildings at Nasirabad was approved in Feb 2018 and it would be completed in the financial year 2019-20 as per allocation of Annual Development Plan.

Responding to another written question raised by Ms Abbasi, he said that a project of construction of a court building in taluka Nara, district Khairpur, was approved in Feb 2018 with at an estimated cost of Rs55m and it would be completed in 2018-19.

Replying to yet another written question by her, the minister said that a project of construction of two court buildings at Khipro and Sanghar was approved with an estimated cost of Rs52.87m in Oct 2017 and bidding of the project was in progress.

Responding to a verbal question asked by her, the minister said that several projects were delayed due to shortage of funds.

In reply to a question raised by GDA’s Arif Mustafa Jatoi, he said that there were eight labour courts in the province.

He said that five labour courts were in Karachi and one each was in Hyderabad, Sukkur and Larkana, where in all 1,074 cases were disposed of from July 2018 to Dec 2018.

Published in Dawn, July 3rd, 2019