LAHORE, Nov 30 (APP):Three sessions on the 2nd day of 3rd Women Judges conference were held at a local hotel on Saturday.
Honorable Justice Supreme Court Umar Ata Bandial, Justice Supreme Court Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh, Designate Chief Justice LHC were chief guests.
Other guests include: LHC Justice Ayesha A. Malik, LHC Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh, LHC Justice Shahid Jamil Khan, LHC Justice Shahram Sarwar Chaudhry, LHC Justice Sajid Mahmood Sethi, LHC Justice Mujahid Mustaqeem Ahmad, LHC Justice Jawad Hassan, and LHC Justice (R) Nasira Javed Iqbal.
The first session featured panel discussion between Ms. Amna Liaqat, Psychologist, Muhammad Amir Munir, AD&SJ Kasur, and others.
They identified issues marginalized groups of the society face when engaging the Civil Justice System, alongside issues relating to implicit bias, custody of children, access to justice by transgender, and maintenance of court decorum.
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Justice Umar Ata Bandial in his closing remarks stated that the institution of Judiciary does not thrive on coercive laws but upon public trust, and stressed that competence, impartiality, integrity, good temperament, and courtesy are the hallmark of a judge that should always be exercised.
Speakers of the second session included, among others, Sarah Bilal Team leader of the Justice Project Pakistan, Masroor Zaman, D&SJ Kasur. The speakers voiced their concerns regarding the need to develop gender sensitivity in cases involving women and put forward a number of recommendations.
Acknowledging the success of the Court, Justice Mamoon Rashid Sheikh, designate Chief Justice LHC, stressed the recent meetings of LHC with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the decision to establish GBV Courts throughout Pakistan and corresponding training of judges.
While recognizing the problems they face, he recommended judges to adjudicate in accordance with the law and without any bias.
Focusing on Gender and Digital World, speakers of the last session deliberated upon topics ranging from the definition of Cyber Crimes to the investigation and complaint mechanism for the reporting of the same.
The speakers stressed the need to have gender perspective. Supreme Court Justice Ijaz ul Ahsan in his closing remarks addressed the problems relating to cybercrimes, while commenting on the ineffectiveness of the current cyber law, and inviting the legislature to address the matter.
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Concluding the day, Civil Court Judge Yousaf Saleem talked about his achievements, including being nominated for Tamgha-e-Imtiaz by the President of Pakistan.
He talked about the challenges he combats as a visually disabled person and reminded all that the
differently abled should not be discriminated against.
He was given standing ovation by the audience.
