- Supreme Judicial Council decided 64 complaints about judges: CJP.
- Says case management system ensures rapid disposal of pending cases.
- Adds NJPMC meeting on October 17 to review missing persons, key problems.
Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Yahya Afridi has announced that the Supreme Court will soon start planning cases using artificial intelligence, but at the same time he acknowledged that the judiciary is “not fully clear” for its immediate use.
By approaching the Judicial Conference in Islamabad on Monday, who participated by judges by the Supreme Court and High Courts, court lawyer for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan, and representatives of Pakistan bar Council and Supreme Court Bar Association, the top judge emphasized that the new judicial year is not only Ceremony.
“The purpose of the new court year’s ceremony is to review our performance,” he said, remembering that tradition began in the 1970s and had been held regularly since 2004.
He said that transparency in the legal system would ensure justice and emphasized that rapid disposal of case and technology -driven reforms were central to his vision for an effective judiciary.
Justice Afridi said he had felt the need for reforms at the time of receipt of the office and initiated them on five basic columns. “We prioritized technology for improving services, transparency in cases and strengthening the legal framework,” he noted, adding that case management systems had been introduced to ensure timely disposal of cases.
He announced that the Supreme Court is moving towards a paperless system. “Case registration, case items and copies of judgments have already been made available online and the court will work through a fully digital system,” he said. “E-services have been launched and a relief center will be fully functional on October 1 to earn litigation.”
Chief Justice revealed that the highest Judicial Council (SJC) had decided 64 complaints about judges, while 72 were under consideration and 65 cases remained pending. “The remaining cases will be distributed among the judges at the end of this month. We will follow the principle of first come, first served, first served and will not take cases from the bottom of the list,” he managed.
He highlighted the importance of technology and said: “Everyone talks about technology and artificial intelligence (AI). We scan 61,000 files digitally and the project will be completed in six months. Cases will be planned through artificial intelligence, although we are not yet ready for its immediate use.”
Justice Afridi said that internal audit procedures were completed and draft rules had been shared with judges for feedback. “We have convened a full hearing to review the rules. Members with objections must submit them in writing so that they can be properly considered,” he added.
He also clarified the rules regarding the Judges’ leave and said that during judicial vacations no permission was required, although outside the public holidays prior intimation was mandatory.
The discussion of security measures said Chief Justice: “Security for me and other judges has been reduced. Protocol in the red zone has been limited. The judges may require security outside Islamabad, but not within the red zone.” He said he had reduced his safety vehicles from nine to only two.
Justice Afridi emphasized that he had toured remote areas to review the justice system and instructed questions about the entire judiciary across the country being addressed. He announced that the National Judicial Policy Committee (NJPC) would meet on October 17 to review key conditions, including cases of missing persons.
Pakistan wore Council Vice President Tahir Nasrullah paid tribute to her address to Chief Justice Afridi and recognized the recent initiatives to facilitate litigation, including the supply of Internet and solar energy facilities in remote areas and the practical use of video link hearings.
He added that pending cases in the Supreme Court had fallen and expressed hope that access to justice would be further improved at the district judge level.
Supreme Court Bar Association -President Rauf Atta also paid tribute to Chief Justice for introducing a new vision for the Supreme Court, referring to results as electronic archiving, hearings about video links and establishing a relief center.
He appreciated that the court continued hearings, even during the summer holidays, although he raised concerns about delays in the event of planning and requested further steps to facilitate the process of litigation.
Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan said in his remarks that the provision of justice remained the highest priority of the judiciary and that compliance with the Constitution and the law ensured transparency.
He appreciated the reduction in pending cases compared to the previous year and famous the Supreme Court’s judges and officers. He also supported the use of technology and artificial intelligence to improve the effectiveness of the court.
