Islamabad Bar, ICT Administration Resolve Dispute Through Dialogue
Bar Association says administration apologised over alleged misconduct, agreed to regular coordination meetings and several public facilitation measures.
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Bar Association (IBA) on Sunday announced that a meeting with Acting Deputy Commissioner Sahibzada Muhammad Yousaf and Magistrate Abdul Hadi resulted in a series of understandings aimed at improving coordination between the district administration and the legal fraternity.
According to an official statement issued by the Islamabad Bar Association, the meeting followed protests over the alleged disrespectful behaviour of an Assistant Commissioner towards lawyers.
The Bar Association claimed that representatives of the Islamabad administration expressed regret over the alleged conduct of Assistant Commissioners towards lawyers and litigants. The statement further said the administration assured the Bar that the Deputy Commissioner, who is currently on leave, would review the matter upon return and that the concerned Assistant Commissioner would be transferred.
Key Decisions Taken During the Meeting
The communiqué stated that both sides agreed to work jointly to improve the justice delivery system, with the Islamabad Bar Association’s cabinet committee meeting the district administration every 15 days to address issues faced by lawyers and litigants.
According to the Bar, another key decision was to end the requirement for excessively heavy sureties in private bail cases. It said bail would now be granted on reasonable and case-specific sureties, reducing the financial burden on economically disadvantaged litigants.
The Bar Association also announced that lawyers would no longer need to visit Assistant Commissioners for attestation by magistrates. Instead, verification facilities would be made available at the Facilitation Centre to simplify the process.
