ISLAMABAD, April 15: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry on Sunday said the system of governance in any society is governed by laws, not by men.

Speaking to the participants of the international judicial conference, he said: “If every person in authority in any branch of government follows this model in letter and spirit, most of the grievances now forming subject matter of protracted litigations in our courts would not be coming into existence at all.”

On the subject of terrorism and money laundering, the chief justice said both constituted grave threat to civilised nations throughout the world.

“Pakistani laws dealing with these issues may be brought in conformity with international standards as well as Pakistan’s commitments under various international legal obligations. All relevant bodies such as law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and presiding officers of the trial courts etc., be provided necessary training and capacity building in dealing with these offences.”

He said hawala/hundi transactions, including over-invoicing and under-invoicing, should be discouraged through effective mechanisms. Pakistan should seek to strengthen its mutual legal assistance arrangements with various countries to ensure better coordination, information-sharing, and timely and effective provision of support from the relevant law enforcement agencies operating in different countries, he added.

The chief justice also said a judicial commission on gender equality and udicial empathy should be established. Judges, court staff and counsel be required to undergo training and capacity building through judicial academies on issues of gender bias and judicial empathy. A code of conduct on gender sensitivities be devised for all who are associated with the judicial system. In order to create wider awareness, subjects relating to gender sensitivities and judicial empathy be included in the curriculum of law schools.