ISLAMABAD: IBA's Alternative Dispute Resolution Centre (IBA-ADRIC) successfully conducted an International Mediators' Training Program from January 19 to January 23, 2026, at the Islamabad High Court Bar Association. The program, in collaboration with the Islamabad High Court Bar Association and the Judiciary of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, was held in partnership with Essential Mediation Solutions, UK. It assembled an extensive cohort of judges, lawyers, business professionals, government officials, and students, marking the largest mediation training cohort in Pakistan.
According to Center For Information and Communication Technologies, the training was led by both international and national experts, including Emma McAndry, founder of Essential Mediation Solutions, Judge Sufiyan Rana from the UK Judiciary, and Bulent Sohail, Head of IBA-ADRIC. The program consisted of 40 hours of training, adhering to Pakistan's Mediation Accreditation Rules, 2023, and best practices from the International Mediation Institute and the Civil Mediation Council, UK. Participants who completed the program can now submit their profiles to the Ministry of Law and Justice for accreditation as mediators, advancing mediation institutionalization nationwide.
The closing ceremony featured notable dignitaries, including Faisal Mumtaz Rathore, Prime Minister of Azad Jammu and Kashmir, and Justice Sardar Liaquat Shaheen Hussain, Chief Justice of the High Court of AJK, among others. Yasmin Batliwala from Advocates for International Development and Aleena Nasir from the Commercial Law Development Program joined virtually to discuss mediation's global significance. The Islamabad High Court Bar Association supported the program, and the Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry showed interest in future mediation collaborations.
The Government and Judiciary of Azad Jammu and Kashmir praised IBA-ADRIC's efforts and invited further engagement to develop an ADR framework for AJK. A collaboration agreement with Advocates for International Development was concluded, and the Continuing Legal Education Institute of Pakistan was launched at the ceremony. The Commercial Law Development Program expressed support for new initiatives in Continuing Legal Education and ADR, with IBA-ADRIC committed to advancing mediation as a cornerstone of justice reform in Pakistan.