Federal Law and Justice Minister Senator Azam Nazir Tarar said alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is the most effective solution to Pakistan’s court backlog and urged wider adoption of conciliatory methods. Speaking to participants on the second day of an ADR training program, he praised the initiative’s organization and the quality of international instruction, and called on lawmakers, judges and other stakeholders to help build a nationwide system of dispute resolution outside the courts.
Tarar opened his remarks by reciting a couplet of Allama Iqbal: “The world of renewal is born of fresh ideas; new worlds are not made of bricks and stones,” using it to illustrate that ADR represents an innovative approach to justice. He said ADR provides timely, effective and amicable procedures for resolving disputes, lightening the courts’ caseload while strengthening public confidence in the justice system.
The minister noted the training brings together a wide and diverse group of participants, including members of parliament, high court judges, federal secretaries, civil and military officers from various ministries and divisions, legal experts and business leaders. He said that diversity demonstrates a clear willingness across sectors to embrace reconciliation and other ADR methods.
Tarar commended the leadership and organization of the program, singling out AMIC Project Director Ayesha Rasool, Registrar Ehsanullah Khan and the AMIC team for their management of the training. He also thanked international experts Rahim Shamji, Sarah Tarar and Dr. Khalid Chaudhry for delivering world-class instruction to participants.
Emphasizing AMIC’s broader role, the minister said the organization is working through this and other provincial and national trainings to establish a comprehensive conciliation framework across the country. He appealed to parliamentarians, judges and all parts of the judicial system to actively promote ADR and reconciliation techniques to reduce the overwhelming case backlog effectively.
