ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday described the introduction of the government’s proposed amendments to the country’s criminal law as a “defining moment” for Pakistan, saying it would transform the justice system and redress the grievances of the common man.
The prime minister issued the statement while addressing a gathering in the federal capital that focused on criminal law and justice reforms in Pakistan.
Prior to his speech, the country’s law minister Barrister Farogh Naseem said the government had proposed about 700 changes to the criminal justice system to remove impediments faced by ordinary citizens seeking relief from courts.
“This a defining moment for Pakistan,” the prime minister told the gathering. “We will continue to improve these legal reforms since it is a dynamic process. But you [the law minister] have laid down its foundations and made it a defining moment for the country.”
He regretted that previous Pakistani administrations had not made an effort to amend laws enacted during the colonial era.
“International legal systems have improved with the help of technology, but Pakistan’s system has only deteriorated,” he maintained.
The prime minister said the justice system in the country treated the weak and the powerful differently.
“There are many horrifying stories concerning ordinary people languishing in prisons,” he continued. “Their only fault is that they were born in poor families.”
Khan said he knew many foreign investors who were not willing to bring their wealth to Pakistan since they did not have faith in the local justice system.
He noted that even the overseas Pakistanis were not willing to invest in their own country for the same reason.
“I know the problems the overseas Pakistanis face,” he added. “The only reason they do not invest in Pakistan is absence of rule of law.”
The prime minister appealed to the country’s legal fraternity and judiciary to uphold the proposed amendments to the criminal justice system.
Earlier, the Pakistani law minister shared some proposed amendments while addressing the ceremony, saying the government was trying to “completely overhaul the criminal justice system” of the country.
“We have made 700 amendments and every single one of them is a game changer,” he said.
Naseem maintained the suggested amendments would help ensure that police budget was distributed among relevant police stations.
“The police will not be allowed to use the excuse that they do not have enough funds [to solve the cases],” he said.
Naseem further revealed the proposed amendments would require trial court judges to complete a trial within nine months, adding they would otherwise be held accountable by members of the higher judiciary.
