RAWALPINDI, Oct 25: Establishment of a system based on justice and equality in the country is the government’s basic agenda, for which meaningful changes are being made in a phased manner under the devolution of power plan.

Punjab law minister Dr Khalid Ranjha said this while talking to the members of Taxila Bar Association, says a press release received here on Thursday.

He said the government had great respect and regard for the lawyers community because, being custodians of law, they were an integral part of the judicial system.

Dr Ranjha said lawyers should demonstrate their professional identity, irrespective of their political affiliations, by strengthening bar as an institution.

He said the independence of the bar had not been easily accepted by any government because besides press it was the only other forum in the country which always struggled for it independence.

The minister called upon the lawyers to wear their uniforms whenever they were in the bar and the court to demonstrate their professional identity.

The provincial minister said it was for the first time that the government had allocated regular grant in the annual budget for the development of bars. He said the institution had been given financial independence as the budgetary grant was put on the disposal of High Court Bar Association for disbursement to the Tehsil and district bars.

He claimed that the government was lawyers-friendly and all possible steps were being taken for the strengthening of bar associations and welfare of lawyers.

Dr Ranjha urged the office-bearers of the bar association to give priority to the institution’s interest over their personal gains. He said 40,000 prisoners, booked on minor offences, had been released from various provincial jails.

He said the government had taken various steps to provide speedy justice to all people, specially women. He also announced a Rs0.2 million grant for the cafeteria of Tehsil bar room.