Yesterday, we inaugurated the Pakistan Engineering Council ADR Centre, established and collaborated with the CIArb Pakistan Branch. The event was graced by the presence of Honorable Chief Justice Mr. Justice Aamer Farooq of the Islamabad High Court, Honorable Justice Mr. Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb of the Islamabad High Court and Honorable Mr. Justice Jawad Hassan of the Lahore High Court.

As a civil-engineer-turned lawyer, this project was quite close to my heart. The PEC ADR Centre is established to provide an alternative pathway for construction and engineering disputes in Pakistan. The vision for the PEC ADR Centre is to reduce the backlog of cases in Pakistani courts, especially in time-sensitive projects such as construction disputes. As Chair of the CIArb Pakistan Branch, I am proud to play a small role in this regard.

The CIArb Pakistan Branch has contributed towards the PEC ADR Centre in a two-tier manner: the provision of technical infrastructure through devising rules for seamless navigation of disputes referred to the ADR Centre and the cultivating a pool of local experts as Fellows of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb), with an engineering background, to handle the disputes. The interplay between engineering and dispute resolution coincides with one of my innate feelings towards this project: I am an engineer by heart but a lawyer by profession.

The PEC ADR Centre marks a significant advancement for Pakistan’s construction sector by offering specialized dispute resolution mechanisms that integrate both technical and legal expertise. By adopting global best practices, the Centre enhances the quality and efficiency of dispute resolution, fostering a culture of excellence and ethical behavior within the local engineering community. This initiative aims to expedite the resolution of disputes, thereby improving project delivery and reducing financial risks.