June 30, 2021: CODE PAKISTAN in collaboration with the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP), and the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) organized a 2-day regional training on “Mainstreaming ADR for Equitable Access to Justice in Pakistan” in Islamabad. The two-day training was attended by over 30 lawyers from the Rawalpindi Bar Association. 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 lawyers and other stakeholders of the law and justice sector 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 programme also offered a look into the evolution and scope of ADR in Pakistan with attention to the existing national ADR legislation and its implementation. Other areas of focus included the practical working of ADR in the form of 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 interactive sessions and group discussions with the participants on the subject of ADR.
The panel of trainers included the director FIA, Mr. Waqar Ahmed Chauhan, the Deputy Inspector General (Headquarters) Islamabad Police, Mr. Kamran Adil, the Senior Superintendent Operations Islamabad, Dr. Syed Mustafa Tanweer, and an Advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Mr. Saeed Yousaf Khan.
The President of the High Court Bar Association Rawalpindi, Mr. Sardar Abdul Raziq Khan was also in attendance to inaugurate the training session. Both him and the President of CODE PAKISTAN, Mr. Dilawar Khan addressed the participants and thanked them for their participation. The training concluded with the distribution of certificates to all participants to thank them for their participation.