PESHAWAR, June 11: Non-democratic behaviour and lack of tolerance have derailed the democratic process and we should adopt a democratic attitude for promoting a healthy culture and establishing strong democratic institutions in the country.

Dr Khalid Ranjha, federal minister for law, justice and human rights, stated this, while speaking to the members of the Mardan district bar association and the Takht Bai sub-divisional bar association.

The minister said the previous government had governed the country in an undemocratic manner by taking recourse to the politics of revenge and by concentrating all powers in the hands of one person through a constitutional amendment, passed without a proper debate in parliament.

He remarked that both the government and the opposition had demonstrated mutually exclusive attitudes, which had harmed the continuity and growth of democracy.

Dr Ranjha highlighted the importance of bar associations in a democratic society, saying that the government wanted to make bar association a unified and strong body throughout the country.

He said funds to the tune of $350 million would be provided for uplifting the bar and the bench at the district level. He added that the funds would be disbursed through the chief justices of the high courts over a periods of three years from the next financial year.

The minister called upon the district and sub-divisional bars to prepare a plan to uplift the bars and the judiciary of the country.

He observed that constructive critique from the bar had always improved the governance and that was why the government had welcomed the criticism on its working.

He announced a grant of Rs100,000 for the district bar library and Rs50,000 for the sub-divisional bar library, Takht Bai.