LAHORE: The Punjab government has decided to set up special courts to ensure that justice may be dispensed to the overseas Pakistanis at the earliest, besides considering proposals, including allowing them to record statements in their cases through video link.

Governor Chaudhry Sarwar says the special courts will also ensure that the cases of overseas Pakistanis do not go through any inordinate delay and there will be a specific time frame for deciding each case.

“Overseas Pakistanis are an asset of the nation and resolving their problems is the first priority of the government,” says the governor.

He lauded the role of the judiciary, including the chief justice of Lahore High Court, in providing justice to overseas Pakistanis.

The governor was presiding over a meeting on Wednesday on resolving the problems of Overseas Pakistanis and setting up special courts for their cases at Governor House.

Punjab Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Irum Bukhari, Law Secretary Bahadur Ali Khan, District Judiciary Director General Saeedullah Mughal, LHC deputy registrar and Punjab Overseas Commissioner Arif Javed, Overseas Commissioner Khadim Abbas, Vice-Chairman Overseas Pakistanis Commission, Punjab, Wasim Ramay, DG Overseas Ishratullah, Director Legal, Overseas Commission, Raja Zubair and Principal Secretary to Governor Dr Rashid Mansoor were also present.

ACS Ms Bukhari told the meeting participants that all the provincial departments were working together to solve the problems of overseas Pakistanis and ready for any cooperation, including setting up special courts, in this regard.

Mr Ramey apprised the meeting of the steps taken to solve the problems of overseas Pakistanis.

The meeting decided that the OPC vice-chairman, along with the officials concerned will meet the law secretary in his office and finalise matters regarding the steps, including setting up of special courts.

The governor said, “We are proud of the role played by overseas Pakistanis in Pakistan’s economic strength despite the coronavirus crisis”.

He said the LHC and judiciary was working exclusively to hear the cases of overseas Pakistanis, but the establishment of special courts was the need of the hour.

The governor said all measures, including amendment in law, would be made to provide timely justice to the overseas Pakistanis.

Published in Dawn, April 15th, 2021