LAHORE (APP)- Federal Law Minister Dr Babar Awan said on Sunday that democracy could not flourish without the participation of lawyers and the masses. Expressing his views at a cheque-distribution ceremony among presidents of district and tehsil bar associations here at the Governors House, he said he would visit all bars across the country to listen to problems of the lawyer community so that steps could be taken for their welfare. The Minister said he was shocked to see that problems of lawyers had not been addressed before. He regretted that some people wanted to stop lawyers grants and said he would request them there were so many other works to do such as elimination of terrorism, suicides and poverty. He said he would use every method to go to bars like plane, car and horse, if needed. He said, he could not stay away from the community as he was committed to their well-being. Babar said he was discharging his duty on behalf of the government of Pakistan and added as they had come to him and by the grace of Almighty Allah he was honoured to grant them rights. The Minister said, on the direction of President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari and the elected government he would discharge his constitutional and legal responsibilities by giving them grants. He also accepted their invitation to visit bars. Citing a quote, he said no policy about economy could work until and unless people realised that it was for their benefit. He said democracy is a participatory system of government adding, You are my elected leaders, leadership, elected leaders of the country and you are elected every year and the election of bars cannot be stopped. Grants were being given through cheques and not in cash and this money is not going to individuals. Babar said whenever anybody was handcuffed such as general, elite, judge, poor and big government servant, he had the only option to knock on the door of a lawyer for justice. The minister said that lawyers should not be scandalised in the country as bars were an important and valuable institution like the Pakistan armed forces which were a national asset. He said politicians were involved in politics but not in the name of institutions adding, the present government would not allow anybody to harm institutions. He said Pakistans judicial system was a big asset and the government would safeguard it. He said it was evident from the fact that judges who had been removed by a dictator were restored by Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani before taking oath of his office, adding the second orders he issued were payment of their dues and then the elected government ensured their full restoration. He said relationship among institutions was constitutional, for harmony, respect and balance of power. He said, Lawmakers ensure implementation of the Constitution and no one should expect that they could create an atmosphere of clash among institutions in the PPP tenure. The minister said there were some voices from the West that Pakistan was a failed state and sinking but they ignored the fact that Pakistan was a leading country of South Asia and the first Islamic nuclear state. Later, President District Bar Association Mandi Bahauddin Muhammad Aslam Faiz Gondal received a cheque of Rs 2.5 million, Phalia Tehsil Bar Association President Ansar Mahmood Gondal a cheque of one million rupees, President District Nanka Bar Association received a cheque of Rs 1.5 million and President Tehsil Bar Association Sang-lahill received a cheque of one million rupees. Speaking on the occasion, lawyer leaders including Muhamamd Aslam Faiz Gondal and Ansar Mahmood Gondal lauded the PPP government and Federal Law Minister Dr Babar Awan for providing grants for the welfare of the lawyer community. They said the promotion of the lawyers institution was the promotion of Pakistan. They said that Babar Awan had proved that only a lawyer like him could understand problems of the lawyer community and provide relief to them.