Justice still inaccessible despite access to justice plan

Despite the Access to Justice Programme, people still suffer in police stations and the lower courts. According to the Planning Commission, the last installment of Rs 5.69 million has been released for the provincial programme, out of the total outlay of Rs 11.88 billion. As such, 96 percent of the programme was completed. Rs 1.90 billion were also used on federal programme. Reportedly, there have been 250 policy actions taken under this programme in police stations and courts. It included freedom of police from interference, improved capacity, independent prosecution service, transparency and accountability, improved police-citizen liaison and public awareness of rights. The policy actions proposed for lower judiciary consisted of better policy making, strong judicial independence, greater efficiency, legal empowerment of the poor, better judicial governance and human resource development. In 2011, there were 2.5 million cases pending in the country, out of which 10 percent were in the Supreme Court and high courts. As of January 15, 2012, there were 2.2 million cases pending in the Punjab alone, according to the chief justice of Pakistan. Supreme Court budget has been increased by 112 percent to Rs 18 billion. There are 2500 judges in the country. In session and district courts, new furniture, vehicles, computerization of record and new buildings was added under the programme. The salaries of the judges were also increased under the programme. But the fact remains that the justice has become all the more expensive for the common people. The people have to pay for stationery and conveyance in the police stations to get the culprits nabbed. Report by Zulfiqar Ali