Federal Minister for Law and Justice visited the participants of the 6-Day Internationally Accredited and Certified Mediation Training Programme organized by the International Mediation and Arbitration Centre (IMAC), Ministry of Law and Justice, at COMSTECH, Islamabad, and held an interactive session with the participants.
During his interaction, the Minister appreciated the diverse participation in the programme, including parliamentarians, legal professionals, judicial officers, government officials, and ADR practitioners from across Pakistan.
The Minister also appreciated the efforts of the IMAC team and Project Director Ms. Aisha Rasool and internationally accredited ADR/ODR trainers for organizing and delivering the programme in accordance with international standards.
Highlighting the importance of dispute resolution reforms, the Minister noted that Pakistan currently faces more than 2.26 million pending cases in courts, while civil disputes may take up to 15 years for resolution and commercial disputes approximately 1,073 days. He emphasized that Alternative Dispute Resolution is no longer merely an alternative mechanism but is increasingly becoming an essential component of modern justice systems around the world.
The Minister highlighted the Government of Pakistan’s commitment towards strengthening mediation and ADR in the country, including the signing of the Singapore Convention on Mediation, the signing and ratification of the Convention on the Establishment of the International Organization for Mediation (IOMed), and the establishment of the International Mediation and Arbitration Centre (IMAC) under the Ministry of Law and Justice.
He further shared that IMAC has already conducted foundational mediation and arbitration trainings for more than 1,300 judges, lawyers, civil servants, businesspersons, and students across Pakistan, while 100 participants have successfully undergone internationally accredited and certified ADR trainings under IMAC’s banner.
The Minister underscored the importance of accredited training programmes in developing a pool of competent ADR professionals capable of handling complex disputes effectively and professionally. He encouraged participants to serve as ambassadors of mediation within their respective institutions and professional communities and urged them to continue learning, engage in international collaboration, and practically apply the skills acquired during the training.
Concluding his interaction, the Minister reaffirmed the Ministry of Law and Justice’s full support for institutionalizing ADR and promoting a culture of dialogue, consensus, and peaceful dispute resolution in Pakistan.
