The country's top judge has initiated his judicial reforms programme — which will commence at the level of the apex court and then extend through the lower courts — to strengthen service delivery and broaden access to justice by reaching out to the academia and professional lawyers.
In this regard, a meeting was held at the Supreme Court in Islamabad on Thursday. Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi chaired the meeting. The meeting was attended by members of the academia, representing some of Pakistan's leading varsities, prominent development experts and advocates, including Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) Vice Chancellor Dr Ali Cheema, FAST University Rector Dr Aftab, Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology (GIKİ) Rector Professor Dr Fazai Khalid, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) Pro-Rector Dr Rizwan Riaz, Supreme Court Bar Association (SBCA) President Rauf Ata, Advocate Mansoor; and noted development expert Sher Shah.
Chief Justice Afridi highlighted the challenges facing Pakistan's justice system. He underscored that the reforms he intends to introduce would encompass every tier of the judiciary, beginning at the apex court and extending through to the lower courts. He hoped to lay the groundwork for comprehensive justice sector reforms by strengthening service delivery and broadening access to justice.
Emphasising a collaborative approach, he stated that feedback from all stakeholders - judges, lawyers, litigants, and citizens - would be central to developing a responsive and effective system. The chief justice further acknowledged the invaluable role of academia in this transformative process, which is why he was inviting universities to contribute their expertise to enhance judicial efficiency, transparency, and accessibility.
Supreme Court Registrar Mohammad Saleem Khan expressed the pressing need for comprehensive reforms within the justice sector, setting a clear agenda for enhanced service delivery.
Development expert Sher Shah outlined Chief Justice Afridi's vision for judicial reforms and presented short-term foundational plans as essential stepping stones towards medium-term and long-term improvements.
Hamayoon Zafar detailed the judiciary's digital transformation roadmap, highlighting short-, medium- and long-term objectives to modernise the system through technology.
Throughout the session, participants engaged in constructive discussions, individually stressing the importance of building the information technology (IT) capacity at various levels of the judiciary and conducting thorough business process analysis of the judicial system. These initiatives are anticipated to address existing bottlenecks, ultimately making the justice system more accessible, transparent, and efficient.
Each representative assured their full commitment to supporting and advancing these reform efforts. The meeting further resolved that focal persons nominated by the participating universities will coordinate closely with the Supreme Court's team to carry forward this transformative
agenda.