- Advertisement -
ISLAMABAD, Oct 09 (APP):The Sub-Committee constituted by the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee (NJPMC) Wednesday to address protracted litigation in commercial, revenue, and fiscal cases, held its first meeting today under the Chairmanship of Mr. Justice Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui, Judge, Supreme Court of Pakistan.
The meeting was attended by Mr Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh, Judge, Lahore High Court, Mr Justice Agha Faisal, Judge, High Court of Sindh (online), Mr Justice Arshad Ali, Judge, Peshawar High Court, Mr. Rashid Mahmood Langrial, Chairman, Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), Mr. Munawar Iqbal Duggal, Additional Attorney General for Pakistan, Legal Team of the FBR and Secretary, Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP).
In his opening remarks, Justice Siddiqui emphasized that prolonged litigation and injunctive orders not only stall public revenue recovery but also erode investors’ confidence and commercial certainty. The Committee, it was noted, is tasked with formulating concrete recommendations to accelerate resolution of such cases and reviewing proposals from the Attorney General for Pakistan concerning the recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards.
Participants acknowledged that the establishment of specialized commercial benches across the High Courts has already delivered encouraging results by reducing pendency. Justice Siddiqui appreciated these outcomes and suggested extending the specialized bench model to cases involving foreign arbitral awards for swift and expert adjudication.
Chairman FBR while welcoming judiciary’s proactive engagement, affirmed FBR’s commitment to strengthen institutional coordination and expeditious resolution of revenue-related disputes. He also endorsed the proposal to create a dedicated Legal Department within FBR to ensure consistent legal strategy and institutional support.
Concluding the session, Justice Siddiqui reaffirmed the judiciary’s resolve to enhance judicial efficiency and foster effective inter-institutional collaboration, which is vital for strengthening economic governance and ease of business. The Committee’s recommendations will be submitted to the NJPMC for consideration in its forthcoming meeting.