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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar on Sunday called for the adoption of alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods to speed up settlement of disputes, with 2.4 million cases pending in courts across the country.

The statement came at a ceremony in Islamabad on the conclusion of a six-day internationally accredited Civil and Commercial Mediation Training Programme by the International Mediation & Arbitration Center (IMAC), established by the Pakistani law ministry.

The program, led by internationally renowned experts Mr. Rahim Shamji, Ms. Sarah Tarar, and Dr. Khalid Hamid Chowdhury, trained judges of the high courts, lawyers, government officers, academicians, and business professionals from across Pakistan.

Speaking at the ceremony, Tarar noted that there is a backlog of 2.4 million cases in Pakistan’s courts, including over 300,000 in the high courts and 1.8 million in district courts, where civil disputes often take up to 15 years to conclude.

“In contrast, ADR provides resolution in an average of just 75 days,” he was quoted as saying by Pakistan’s Press Information Department.

ADR refers to a method of resolving disputes outside of courts to help parties reach a voluntary, consensual agreement. Key ADR methods include mediation, where a mediator facilitates communication and settlement of disputes, and arbitration, where an arbitrator makes a binding or non-binding decision.

These methods offer advantages like lower costs, faster resolution and improved communication compared to traditional litigation.

Tarar emphasized plans to scale up mediation centers nationwide and strengthen Pakistan’s role as a credible ADR hub, according to the PID. The minister appreciated the IMAC team for not only creating widespread awareness but also training professionals across the country in mediation and arbitration.

Pakistan has introduced a number of judicial reforms in recent months and the country’s top judge, Yahya Afridi, this month said the Supreme Court was working to expand cooperation with judicial bodies in Muslim countries, including ������Ƶ’s Muslim World League, to strengthen its institutional capacity.

Speaking at the ceremony in Islamabad, Justice Shahid Waheed of Pakistan’s Supreme Court underscored mediation as a vital tool to reduce case backlogs, strengthen access to justice, and foster harmony.

He outlined Pakistan’s policy direction on ADR, including the preparation of a ‘Model Law, establishment of court-annexed mediation centers and awareness campaigns

“ADR must be institutionalized, expanded nationwide, and integrated with technology to transform Pakistan’s justice landscape,” the judge said, commending the IMAC’s role in capacity building through internationally accredited training.

KARACHI: The bodies of three transgender women were found Sunday on a roadside in Pakistan’s largest city, Karachi, police said, in the latest violence against the community.

Although exact figures are not available due to severe underreporting, human rights groups such as Amnesty International say there has been a concerning rise in violence against trans people in Pakistan.

“The bullet-riddled bodies of three transgender women were found on a highway,” city police official Javed Ahmed Abro told AFP.

“We are still in the process of confirming their identities,” he said, adding that they had yet to determine a motive.

The bodies were discovered shortly after midnight on Sunday in the Memon Goth area of Karachi.

“Transgender persons are a vulnerable segment of society, and we must all give them dignity and respect,” said Sindh’s provincial chief minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in a statement.

Transgender women in Pakistan have faced a highly organized digital hate campaign in recent years, threatening their legal rights as well as their safety.

“When hate speech and campaigns are carried out so openly, outcomes like this are inevitable,” Shahzadi Rai, a trans activist and government-appointed local councillor in Karachi, told AFP.

“Even though the state and police are on our side, killings are still occurring, which indicates that deep-rooted hatred against transgender people persists in our society.”

Activists say there is a pattern of violence against transgender women who refuse advances of men.

“We have already pointed it out to the government that this is a coordinated assault on the lives of transgender people,” Mehrub Moiz, a trans activist, told AFP.

The landmark passing of a Transgender Rights Act in 2018 was regarded as highly progressive, lauded around the world for the protections it granted the community.

But religious groups said it was against Islamic law and “a conspiracy to destroy our family system,” and key sections were later revoked by a Sharia court.