Insaaf Committees of the Union, Tehsil/Town and Zila/District Council under the Local Government Ordinance are not monitoring committees per se, because courts of law are independent institutions and outside the ambit of the local government system. However, these Committees have been assigned an important role in enhancing people’s access to justice through:

• Facilitation of out-of-court settlement of disputes through alternative dispute resolution (ADR) system comprising Musalehat Anumans, conciliation, mediation or arbitration; and

• Channeling citizens’ grievances regarding delay in delivery of justice by the subordinate courts to the concerned members of the High Court Inspection Team.

Although monitoring administration of justice by the courts of law is clearly outside the scope of their functions, Insaaf Committees nonetheless have a significant role of medication between litigants and the forums of alternative dispute resolution on the one hand and supervisory courts on the other. Currently, however, there are no rules or procedures ‘connecting’ Insaaf Committees and the MIT. Their function is aimed at bringing to the attention of the Superior Courts cases of serious injustice or inordinate delay and thus facilitates the citizens in getting justice from the courts of law.