Barrister Afnan Saiduzzaman Siddiqui

The National Centre for Dispute Resolution (NCDR) started with the name of Karachi Centre for Dispute Resolution (KCDR) as a consequence of the demand of the international and local business community, that the usual process of litigation is a long and cumbersome one. The Centre was registered as a Society under the Societies Act and sponsored by the High Court of Sindh where, amongst the member and Board of KCDR, a nominee Judge of the High Court of Sindh was also a part and amongst the entire team commencing the project and the registration of KCDR. The KCDR has come a long way when it was supported by International Finance Corporation (IFC). It continued after the support of IFC expired and the Centre continued to work on its own. It has been very hard and difficult task to keep the Centre afloat, but when the able leadership of Justice Saiduzzaman Siddiqui and further continued support of the High Court of Sindh and the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The KCDR continued its endeavour to give this country, a center for dispute resolution of international quality. Many cases were resolved through the dispute resolution process. Training programs were conducted to train Mediators and Trainers for which, CEDR Trainers from England came over to Pakistan to train our nominated candidates as Mediators and Trainers. KCDR has conducted numerous seminars, have trained various sections of societies and authorities in mediation and continues to do so.

We at the KCDR felt that this exercise should not be restricted only to Karachi, but should be expanded all over the country wherefore, the members of KCDR then, in their General Meeting, unanimously agreed to change the name from KCDR to NCDR. On account of the fact that NCDR being a centre included all facets of dispute resolutions, therefore it was further decided that, in addition to the mediation being conducted, all norms of alternate dispute resolution (ADR) should be introduced which is why the Board of Directors agreed to the introduction of Arbitration as a mode of ADR. The Board of Directors before introducing Arbitration required, that rules of arbitration be made and the methodology of arbitration be clearly spelt out, such that, it becomes a true centre of excellence in relation to arbitration and mediation. It was after long drawn and tiring work that rules for arbitration and mediation were drafted and after they having gone through scrutiny, were adopted by the Board of Directors as the ‘Rules for Arbitration, Rules for Mediation and Rules for Mediators’.
It was thus decided, that NCDR be launched to project that it is not merely a Mediation Centre but a true Dispute Resolution Centre to include in it, all forms of Alternative Dispute Resolution techniques, including but not merely restricted to mediation and arbitration.

I am happy that time has come that we can place before the people of Pakistan, this excellent centre for dispute resolution and we hope that it will work for the benefit of all, specially, the business community.
Afnan Saiduzzaman Siddiqui
Senior Advocate, High Court of Pakistan