Comprising distinguished members of the judiciary and legal fraternity, a high-level delegation from Pakistan was currently in Singapore to participate in the Singapore Convention Week 2024. The delegation comprised Chief Justice Sindh High Court (SHC) Muhammad Shafi Siddiqui, Justice Arbab Muhammad Tahir from the Islamabad High Court (IHC), Federal Secretary Law and Justice Raja Naeem Akbar Justice (Retd) Arif Hussain Khilji, former judge of the Supreme Court and Chief Legal Advisor Legal Aid Society and MICADR, Director General Federal Judicial Academy Hayat Ali Shah, and Shahzar Ilahi from the Legal Aid Society. The delegation held discussions with representatives from the Ministry of Law, Singapore.

These discussions focused on Singapore’s extensive mediation experience since 1990, sharing best practices for establishing robust domestic and international mediation ecosystems, and exploring the benefits and implementation roadmap of the Singapore Convention on Mediation for Pakistan. The delegation also emphasized the importance of investor-state mediation in fostering a stable and investor-friendly environment. The Pakistan delegation also highlighted the success of mediation ecosystems within the country. They presented the Islamabad mediation ecosystem, which boasts 97 internationally accredited mediators, 4 private ADR centers notified by the Ministry of Law and Justice, and a court-annexed mediation center that has received over 200 cases in the past four months.

Additionally, the delegation showcased Sindh’s mediation ecosystem, which includes 130 High Court-notified mediators, 3 notified private mediation centers, and several court-annexed mediation centers, underscoring Pakistan’s growing commitment to alternative dispute resolution.The Government of Pakistan was actively considering signing the Singapore Convention on Mediation as part of its broader strategy to enhance the country’s legal and dispute resolution frameworks. This initiative aims to provide international investors with amicable settlement options, thereby strengthening confidence in Pakistan's commitment to creating a conducive investment climate. The discussions with Singapore’s Ministry of Law mark a significant step towards bolstering Pakistan’s mediation capabilities and aligning with global best practices in dispute resolution.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan