News Release

10 February 2006

02/06

Visit of Chief Justice of Pakistan

The Chief Justice of Pakistan, Mr Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry accompanied by two judges of the Supreme Courts, will be meeting Lord Justice Thorpe, Head of International Family Law and other senior members of the UK judiciary to discuss the progress of a protocol signed three years ago to establish reciprocal jurisdiction and enforcement rules in cross boundary family proceedings.

The Chief Justice and his delegation will first be formally welcomed by Lord Phillips, the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales in the Lord Chief Justice’s Court.  Lord Phillips will endorse the value of collaboration between the judges of the two jurisdictions in family proceedings.

The judges will subsequently discuss progress made since the signing of the protocol three years ago – both from Pakistan and a UK perspective - including areas of particular success and identifying areas where improvements can be made.

Steady progress has been made following the signing of the protocol in 2003, with over 40 children being returned to their country of habitual residence.

General principles of the protocol include commitment to the following:

• Protecting children of the UK and Pakistan from the harmful effects of wrongful removal or retention from one country to the other;
• Being mindful that the UK and Pakistan share a common heritage of law and a commitment to the welfare of children;
• Promoting judicial cooperation, enhanced relations and the free flow of information between the judiciaries of the UK and Pakistan; and
• Recognising the importance of negotiation, mediation and conciliation in the resolution of family disputes.

Ends