August 7, 2021: CODE PAKISTAN in collaboration with the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP), and the National Center for State Courts (NCSC) organized a two-day regional training on “Mainstreaming ADR for Equitable Access to Justice in Pakistan” in Lahore. The two-day training was attended by over 60 lawyers from the Punjab 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 of the Punjab Bar 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, scope and methods of ADR in Pakistan with attention to the existing national ADR legislation and its implementation. Other areas of focus included 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 participating lawyers of the Punjab Bar on the subject of ADR.
The panel of trainers included the Secretary, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Punjab, Mr. Bahadar Ali Khan, DG Legal Aid and Justice Authority, Mr. Muhammad Raheem Awan, Inspector General National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP), Dr. Syed Kaleem Imam, and Mediator and Barrister-at-law, Mr. Bahadur Bokhari.
The training session concluded with a few words of appreciation from the President of CODE PAKISTAN, Mr. Dilawar Khan who thanked the attending lawyers for their participation in the 2 day training on Mainstreaming ADR for Equitable Access to Justice in Pakistan.