ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Law and Justice has recommended the government
to increase the number of judges in district courts and improvement in procedure to submit cases in the courts.
The committee, held on Monday with Senator Muhammad Javed Abbasi in the chair, also approved the Islamabad High Court (Amendment) Bill 2016 to enhance pecuniary jurisdiction of the court from Rs 10 million to one Rs 100 million.
Sources said the bill would bring the jurisdiction of the Islamabad High Court and civil courts in the Islamabad Capital Territory in consonance with the high courts and civil courts of other provinces.
Referring to the Central Law Officer (Amendment Bill) 2016, the meeting increased qualification period for appointment of the standing counsel from five to seven years.
On the issue of donations to the bar councils, the committee decided to take onboard bar councils and associations to review grant issues. Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Law Zafarullah Khan said no grant had been issued so far as audit objection had been raised on donations given in the last 10-15 years. However, Senator Saifullah Magsi said viewpoint of bar associations should be heard in this regard.
Present at the meeting were senators Saleem Zia, Muhammad Ali Saif, Law Secretary Karamat Niazi among others.
