July 9, 2021: CODE PAKISTAN organized regional training on mainstreaming ADR in Peshawar. The training was organized in collaboration with the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP), and the National Center for State Courts (NCSC). The two-day training was attended by over 30 lawyers from the Peshawar Bar Associations and other bars of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It was part of a series of trainings being conducted on ADR for lawyers throughout the country. The objective of the training was to raise awareness and build the capacity of the lawyers of the Peshawar Bar to provide support to citizens in the quick and efficient resolution of disputes by using effective methods of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR).
A distinguished panel of local trainers were engaged to conduct the trainings through the use of available literature, local and international case studies, and personal examples arising from professional experiences. The program also offered a look into the evolution and scope of ADR in Pakistan with attention to the existing national ADR legislation and its implementation, particularly in the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Other areas of focus included the practical working of ADR in the erstwhile FATA and other Pashtun dominated areas in the shape of the statutory and cultural Jirga system, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police initiative for Dispute Resolution Committees (DRCs), past experiences with ADR, the potential benefits and limitations of ADR in the criminal justice system, and the way forward in light of lessons learned so far and international best practices. In addition, the training included role-play exercises on mediation for the participants, interactive sessions and group discussions on the subject of ADR.
The panel of trainers included Barrister Shahbaz Khan, Barrister Syed Haider Ali Shah and Barrister Ibrahim Khan Afridi, all of whom are practicing lawyers of the Peshawar High Court, as well as Mr. Zafar Abbas Mirza from the Office of the Advocate General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The Dean Faculty, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Judicial Academy and a District and Sessions Judge, Mrs. Farah Jamshed inaugurated the training session and delivered a key note speech highlighting the significance of ADR in Pakistan. Both her and the President of CODE PAKISTAN, Mr. Dilawar Khan addressed the participants and thanked them for their participation. The training concluded with a few words of appreciation on behalf of the participants by a senior advocate of the Supreme Court, Mr. Intikhab Khan Chamkani, who also distributed certificates to all the participants to thank them for their participation.