Chandigarh: The lawyer fraternity and judiciary can play an important role in solving the disputes between India and Pakistan amicably, eminent lawyers from the neighbouring countries said here today.
Lawyers from India and Pakistan were attending a seminar on ‘Role of Jurists in strengthening the democracy in Asia Pacific Region’, organised by Bar Council of Punjab and Haryana, Chandigarh.
Expressing the need for more such exchange programmes, Chairman Bar Council Rajat Gautam welcomed the delegation of 40 eminent lawyers from Pakistan, led by Farah Faiz Begh, first woman Vice-Chairperson of Pakistan’s Punjab Bar Council.
Begh appealed to the lawyer fraternity to join hands for peace and harmony and make it a mass movement, giving a burial to the “artificial border” created by politicians for their “vested interests”.
She also asked the gathering to inculcate human values and brotherhood in the new generation for a better and bright future free of bloodshed.
Senior High Court advocate R S Cheema said the IPCs and CrPCs of both the countries were same and even problems people of the two nation’s faced were similar like honour killing and dowry.
He stressed on the need for strengthening democracy in Pakistan, apart from clearing misunderstandings between people of both countries, making the nations reduce expenses on weapons and army and instead establishing peace and harmony.
Mumtaz Mustafa, former Chairman of Pakistan Bar Council, said lawyers of both countries could work hand in hand and force their specific governments to come close and settle the disputes peacefully.
Senior Advocate Anupam Gupta said Indian lawyers must be allowed to fight cases in Pakistan courts and vice versa.
Gupta, former Advocate General of Punjab, raised the issue of free visa for at least 10 years to lawyers of both the countries.
Justice S S Saron, who was the chief guest, claimed that Chandigarh is a replica of Lahore and there are many educational institutions in India that still show their association with Lahore.