PGP awarded certificates to 20 trained Specialist Anti Terrorism Prosecutors

Lahore: Syed Ehtesham Qadir,a newly appointed Prosecutor General of Punjab along with Ismatullah Khan, Director General of KPK Prosecution Department awarded certificates to 20 trained Specialist Anti Terrorism Prosecutors.  The certificates in Counter-Terrorism Prosecution and Criminal Law Studies were awarded to public prosecutors from Punjab and KPK following the successful completion of a comprehensive 8 week training course delivered by national and international experts.

Opening the ceremony Syed Ehtesham Qadir said “It is such an honour for me to be able to participate in this ceremony and have the privilege to jointly award these certificates.” he said.  “As a country we are facing unprecedented issues of crime and terrorism and Punjab and KPK is sharing that burden.  As specialist trained Anti Terrorism Prosecutors you now have all the tools in your toolbox to be able to professionally prosecute terrorism cases, give guidance to the police through better cooperation and assist the courts in reaching justice.  The citizens of Pakistan owe you and other terrorist prosecutors a real debt of gratitude for standing on the front line of justice despite poor salaries, little or no security and trying conditions in which to operate.”

The course focused on criminal law and evidence, advocacy skills, case analysis, review and scrutiny skills, forensic evidence and modern investigation techniques with the state of the art assistance of the Punjab Forensic Science Agency, police prosecutor cooperation, human rights, computer skills and practice and e-learning initiatives.  The comprehensive training focused on counter terrorism, spanning a national and international perspective, from the history of terrorism through to financing as well as militant issues and sectarian violence.  A 5,000 word research dissertation was also produced by each participant in order achieve the certificate.  The last day of training covered the newly enacted Protection of Pakistan Act 2014 and the two recent Anti Terrorism (Amendment) Acts 2014.

Director General Ismatullah Khan who had approved 8 public prosecutors from all over KPK to join the Lahore based training and participate with 12 Punjab prosecutors expressed pride and joy following the completion of the joint initiative between the two provincial prosecution departments and the British High Commission.  He said “Khyber Pakhtunkhwa is making reforms in its prosecution department and increasing the conviction rate in terrorism offences throughout our Anti Terrorism Courts.  The training of specialist prosecutors was desperately required as ensuring the brave prosecutors in these courts have the ability, skills and available resources is vitally important.  The sharing of experiences and knowledge across our two provinces is crucial to understanding and dealing with the fight against the militants.  We stand ready to serve the public and assist the police to ensure proper cases based on admissible evidence are put before the courts. Robust prosecutorial decisions need to be made and laws amended to give further powers of review and discontinuance if there is not a realistic prospect of conviction to save unnecessary case blocking up the courts.”

The trained prosecutors will shortly be nominated to serve in ATCs and work alongside joint investigation teams.  They will also reach out to the police to deliver specialist training on anti terrorism laws, criminal evidence and the use of forensics and modern evidence gathering techniques.  Following the speeches and certificate presentation to the successful participants of the convocation an Iftar dinner was held attended by the chief guests, the participants and members of their proud families.