LAHORE, Nov 24: The Punjab law department promulgated 150 ordinances, issued 87 regulations and 51 notifications besides entering into 27 agreements during the last three years.

This was stated by Punjab Minister for Law Rana Ijaz Ahmad Khan in a statement issued here on Sunday.

He said that the regulation wing of the department disposed of 454, general advisory wing 744, anti-terrorism activities advisory wing 593 and criminal cases advisory wing 435 references.

The solicitor office disposed of 15,736 general references, 5,375 miscellaneous references, general branch 5,909 and accounts branch 4,428 references.

The Punjab Advocate-General had filed appeals in 1,171 civil and 404 criminal cases besides moving the apex court against acquittal of the accused in 50 cases.

The AG had filed 47 writ petition in the Lahore High Court. Appeals were also filed against convictions in 269 and 370 acquittals by the anti-terrorism courts.

The minister said that the government had provided a special grant of Rs1 million for the Punjab Bar Council building and another special annual grant of Rs2.5 million for the district and tehsil Bar councils in the province.

The Punjab Human Rights Commission was constituted at the provincial level to deal with the complaints in respect of human rights violations. District branches of the commission were also being created.

He said that the commission had disposed of more than 155 complaints during the past three years besides being instrumental in release of 44 people from unlawful detention centres.

The commission had inspected a number of jails in the province and sent reports to the Punjab governor. The commission also arranged the release of 56 resourceless prisoners by arranging payments of their fines totalling Rs986,000 in cooperation with philanthropist Dr Javed Asghar.

Air tickets worth Rs80,000 and travel expenses worth $ 300 were arranged for the repatriation of Uzbek national, Arzi Gul, and her two-year-old daughter Amkeera.

A special monitoring committee had been constituted for ensuring timely disposal of the cases of sectarian nature and 40 member minority advisory council for the welfare of the minorities. A judicial court complex was being built along Ferozepur Road for the hearing of the cases involving women and minors. The death sentences of 74 minors had been converted into life imprisonments under the juvenile justice system.

A special medical board was being constituted for determining the age of another 315 criminals.