ISLAMABAD, Dec 22: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz was told here on Thursday that a Islamabad high court was being proposed to save heavy expenses of the government. The prime minister was presiding over a meeting and was briefed by Law Minister Wasi Zafar.

However, the government announcement did not mention which cities would hold the proposed high court’s benches and divisions.

During the meeting, the prime minister agreed to a set of recommendations concerning alternative dispute resolution mechanism, court management / case management at high courts and the cabinet’s decisions to set up a high court at Islamabad.

The government was taking steps to gradually reform the legal system for expeditious administration of justice and to reduce pendency of the cases, he said.

The government was also improving facilities for courts and judicial officers for expeditious justice and better performance of courts.

“Justice delayed is justice denied,” the prime minister said.

Appreciated the initiatives of the law ministry, he said these steps would go a long way in improving the legal system.

Under the alternate dispute resolution mechanism, the prime minister was informed, parties involved would have to resort to mediation or reconciliation in every suit. If the mediation or conciliation efforts succeeded, a court decree would follow, but if such proceedings did not succeed, courts would have the power to decide cases while relying on the opinion of the mediator or conciliator in addition to other evidence produced before the court.

Suit against government would not be instituted unless a prior notice was given and the government could resort to mediation or conciliation, if a dispute existed.

About the case management at high courts, the prime minister was briefed that the reform would improve efficiency of the justice system, given maximum autonomy to divisions by non-transferring of cases to other divisions. It will also provide expeditious justice particularly in commercial cases.

Four divisions will be constituted at the high courts level namely constitutional division, criminal division, civil division and commercial division which will deal with constitutional, criminal and commercial matters and civil nature. Inspection wings in the high courts will also be set up to monitor the disposal of cases and other important matters.