To commemorate 75th year of independence of Pakistan. the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP), under the Chairmanship of the Honorable Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr. Justice Umar Atta Bandial, organized a two-day Conference on “Administration of Justice: 75 Years – Reflecting on the past and looking towards the future” from 23-24 September, 2022 at the Supreme Court of Pakistan building.

The Conference was attended by various dignitaries including the Honorable Judges, jurists, members from academia and experts on designated themes from all over the world.

Speakers at the Conference used the platform to discuss the challenges confronting the justice sector and offer deeper insights to determine the way forward and the future policy course in the delivery of expeditious justice for the citizens of Pakistan.

MK Consultus Managing partner and Mian Sheraz Javaid and Vice Chair Nasir Khan MBE represented the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators Pakistan Branch at the Conference.

Over the course of two days, several areas of law and justice were discussed by panelists attending the Conference from around the world, divided in Sections.

• Session I: Role of Judiciary in maintaining rule of law and upholding the supremacy of the Constitution
• Session II: Where do we go from here? Role of Police, Prosecution, Lawyers and Academia in Administration of Justice.
• Session III: Current global challenges faced by Pakistan and response of the Judiciary.
• Session IV: Economic challenges and disputes settlement mechanisms: legislative response and the roadmap for the future.
• Session V: Justice and digital advancement: what lies ahead?

The panel discussion on the Role of Judiciary in maintaining rule of law and upholding the supremacy of the Constitution was chaired by the Honorable Mr. Chief Justice Umar Atta Bandial, and joining him were judicial leaders form all over Pakistan, including Chief Justice, Federal Shariat Court, Mr. Justice Dr. Syed Muhammad Anwer, Chief Justice, High Court of Sindh, Mr. Justice Ahmed Ali M. Shaikh, Chief Justice, Islamabad High Court, Mr. Justice Athar Minallah, Chief Justice, Peshawar High Court, Mr. Justice Qaiser Rashid Khan, Chief Justice, Lahore High Court. Mr. Justice Muhammad Ameer Bhatti, Chief Justice, High Court of Balochistan, Mr. Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan, Chief Justice, Supreme Court Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Mr. Justice Raja Saeed Akram Khan, Acting Chief Judge, Supreme Appellate Court, Gilgit Baltistan, Mr. Justice Wazir Shakeel Ahmed and the Attorney General for Pakistan, Mr. Ashtar Ausaf Ali.

Session II of the Conference was on the “Role of Police, Prosecution, Lawyers and Academia in Administration of Justice”. The panel was chaired by Honorable Judge, Supreme Court of Pakistan Mr. Justice Yahya Afridi, and in participation were IG, Balochistan, Mr. Abdul Khalique Shaikh, Prosecutor General Punjab, Barrister Khaliq-Uz- Zaman Chaudhary, Ex- President SHCBA, Karachi, Barrister Salahuddin, Dean, Faculty of Law, UCP, Dr. Hadia Awan, and Federal Ombudsman, Mr. Ejaz Ahmad Qureshi.

The Current global challenges faced by Pakistan and response of the Judiciary panel was chaired by Judge, Supreme Court of Pakistan, Honorable Mr. Justice Qazi Faez Isa, Country Head, UNFPA, Pakistan, Dr. Bakhtior Kadirov, Barrister & Professor Dr. Erum Sattar, Senior Climate Change Expert, Mr. Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, Director General DNFBPs, Mr. Mohammad Iqbal, and Ex-Chairperson, PCSW, Mrs. Fauzia Waqar.

Judge, Supreme Court of Pakistan, Honorable Mr. Justice Ijaz-Ul-Ahsan chaired the Economic challenges and disputes settlement mechanisms: legislative response and the roadmap for the future discussion panel. Joining the discussion were

Fellow of CIArb UK, Mrs. Justice Abha Nayar Patel, Advocate on ESG Compliance and Regulations Singapore, Mr. Ravi Madasamy, International Arbitrator, Commercial Mediator, NTADR DMCC, Dubai, UAE, Ms. Leonora Riesenburg, Chairman of Pakistan Chapter for CIArb, Barrister Mian Sheraz Javaid and the Judge, Lahore High Court, Honorable Mr. Justice Jawad Hassan.

Judge, Supreme Court of Pakistan, Honorable Mr. Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail chaired the Justice and digital advancement and what lies ahead panel. This panel comprised of leading international experts, including, Mr. Paul QuanExecutive Director, Singapore Judicial College, Singapore, Mr. Francisco de Elizalde, Mr. Jeffery Apperson, Vice President of National Center for State Courts (NCSC), USA, Mr. Muhammad Jaffar, Director, Cyber Crime Wing, FIA Islamabad, Judge, Islamabad High Court, Honorable Mr. Justice Babar Sattar.

Mian Sheraz Javaid deliberated on the importance of a dispute resolution system for improving foreign investment and emerging business opportunities in projects such as CPEC, E-Commerce, BRIs, FDIs, SEZs, etc. He reflected upon the achievements and the challenges faced during the and explained that it is essential now more than ever in these times of economic uncertainty to provide prospective investors with certain, stable options for dispute resolution through the provision of informed legislative reform and functional enforcement mechanisms in the form of commercial dispute resolution centers. He added that “the scope of Pakistani law and its ability to drive economic growth is an underappreciated national asset that underpins various forms of economic activity in the country. Dispute resolution mechanisms are the legal scaffolding of the proverbial bridge to economic growth.”

Mian Sheraz Javaid and Nasir Khan MBE were commended by Chief Justice Bandial for their efforts in furthering legislative reform in Alternative Dispute Resolution in Pakistan and promoting commercial dispute resolution schemes on the judicial and private level.