The International Mediation and Arbitration Centre (IMAC), Ministry of Law and Justice, inaugurated a four-day international training programme titled “Advanced Treaty Practice: From Signature to Domestic Law” at COMSTECH, Islamabad. The programme marks a historic milestone as the IMAC and Ministry of Law and Justice hosts, for the very first time, an international capacity-building initiative dedicated exclusively to advanced treaty practice and the domestic implementation of international legal obligations.
The training has brought together distinguished delegates, legal practitioners, government officials, academics, and policy experts from China, Bangladesh, Azerbaijan, Türkiye, and Pakistan, reflecting a growing spirit of international legal cooperation and regional engagement in the field of treaty law and dispute resolution.
Addressing the opening ceremony, Ms. Aisha Rasool, Project Director of IMAC and Senior Consultant Ministry of Law and Justice, described the programme as a landmark initiative for Pakistan and a testament to the country’s growing role in international legal cooperation, mediation, and institutional development. She noted that the training originated from the Memorandum of Cooperation signed between Pakistan and Azerbaijan and represents the first programme being conducted under that framework. She further highlighted that Treaties are not merely documents — they are living commitments, they bind nations, shape policy, and carry legal consequences that can last generations.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Chief Guest, Raja Naeem Akbar (HI), Secretary, Ministry of Law and Justice, commended IMAC for organizing what he described as a timely and strategically important initiative addressing one of the most critical yet often underexplored dimensions of international legal practice: translating treaty commitments into enforceable domestic laws and effective institutional mechanisms.
Former Federal Minister for Law and Justice, Ahmer Bilal Soofi, speaking on the occasion, highlighted that in today’s evolving world, treaties will increasingly shape future alliances, making it essential for practitioners of statecraft to understand their legal, strategic, and domestic implications.
The programme focuses extensively on the complete treaty lifecycle, including treaty negotiation, drafting, ratification procedures, interpretation of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties, incorporation of treaty obligations into domestic legal frameworks, and practical implementation mechanisms. Participants will also engage in simulations, drafting exercises, and role-play sessions designed to provide practical exposure to complex treaty processes.
The training features an eminent panel of resource persons comprising former ministers, ambassadors, senior government officials, legal scholars, and experts in international law. The diversity of expertise represented in the programme reflects IMAC’s commitment to fostering multidimensional legal learning and strengthening cross-border institutional collaboration.
In addition to academic sessions, the international delegates will undertake visits to the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the National Assembly of Pakistan, and the Pakistan Monument and Heritage Museum, providing participants with firsthand exposure to Pakistan’s constitutional, democratic, judicial, and cultural institutions.
The initiative reflects Pakistan’s increasing engagement in international legal cooperation and demonstrates the country’s commitment to strengthening regional partnerships through legal education, treaty practice, mediation, and institutional diplomacy.
The international participation in this programme carries particular significance, as treaty practice by its very nature transcends national boundaries and requires cooperation among states with diverse legal systems, constitutional frameworks, and policy approaches. Bringing together participants from multiple countries creates a unique platform for exchanging comparative experiences, understanding different legal traditions, and learning from varied institutional practices relating to treaty negotiation and implementation. Such multinational engagement not only enriches the professional learning experience but also strengthens mutual trust, promotes legal diplomacy, and contributes to the development of enduring partnerships among friendly nations. The programme therefore serves not merely as a training initiative, but as an important step towards fostering greater regional and international legal collaboration.
