Lahore: In a significant move towards justice reform, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has directed the Home Department to implement a program providing free legal aid to impoverished prisoners throughout the province. This initiative aims to ensure that all detainees have the necessary legal representation, regardless of their financial status.
According to Punjab Portal, CM Sharif praised the Home Department for launching this initiative, which involves the formation of Free Legal Aid Committees in all 43 jails across Punjab, in collaboration with the Punjab Bar Council and District Bar Associations. These committees will be responsible for managing the legal aid services, ensuring that eligible prisoners can access legal representation.
The process will allow prisoners to apply for legal aid through their Jail Superintendents, who will then forward these applications to the appropriate lawyers within the committees. A total of 447 lawyers have been enlisted across Punjab to support this initiative, with specific allocations per division to handle the expected demand.