Pakistan India Judicial Panel Revived
Pakistan India Judicial Panel Revived: India-Pakistan committee was first formed in 2007 and has met seven times. The last meeting was hosted by India in October 2013. Thereafter, the committee became inactive following tense ties between the two countries.
However, now India has announced the names of members of its side of the India-Pakistan Joint Judicial Committee which looks into the humanitarian issues of fishermen and prisoners in each other’s custody.
The idea of reviving the committee was proposed by India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj in October 2017, and Pakistan responded positively in March this year.
Committee Includes
- The committee consists of retired judges who visit and meet prisoners in each other’s jails and propose steps to ensure humane treatment and expedite release of prisoners and fishermen who have completed their prison terms.
While announcing the names of the committee members, India also sought dates from Pakistan for organizing the visit of the committee.
The members of the Committee, as announced and communicated to Pakistan by India’s external affairs ministry, are Jaspal Singh, Harshvardhan B Antani, Deo Narayan Thanvi, Indermeet Kaur Kochar, all retired judges.
The reconstituted committee includes former judge of Delhi High Court, former judge of Gujarat High Court and former Rajasthan High Court judge.
The move assumes significance in the wake of recent move by India to revive the non-governmental Track-II diplomatic channel – Neemrana Dialogue. Earlier this month, an Indian delegation of retired diplomats/experts on foreign policy, military veterans and academics had travelled to Pakistan in a bid to discuss ways to improve Pak-India relationship.
The move comes amid continuous strain in ties between the countries over a host of issues, including cross border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir.
Pakistan has responded positively to India’s proposal to revive a mechanism of a joint judicial panel which looks into humanitarian issues of fishermen and prisoners in each other’s custody.
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