The CJP evaluates court changes and commends enhanced case management.
On Tuesday, Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Yahya Afridi, presided over the eleventh interactive session at the Supreme Court to assess advancements in judicial reforms, instructing officials to expedite essential measures focused on enhancing efficiency, transparency, and public access to justice.
The meeting evaluated monthly advancements regarding the Reform Action Plan (RAP), concentrating on minimizing delays in case resolution, modernizing judicial procedures, and enhancing institutional efficacy.
Attendees included Federal Ombudsman Naveed Kamran Baloch, the Supreme Court registrar, senior officials from the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan, the Federal Judicial Academy, and section heads of the apex court.
Officials informed the gathering of measures implemented to enhance case management, encompassing case categorization, record digitization, IT system integration, and financial digitization of revenues and expenditures.
The study encompassed advancements in automation initiatives, including e-courts, QR-coded certified copies, and data-driven decision-making tools, as well as progress in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and mediation programs.
In the discussion, the federal ombudsman emphasized the necessity of implementing quantifiable performance benchmarks, such as key performance indicators (KPIs) and disbursement-linked indicators (DLIs), to enhance monitoring and accountability. The meeting was apprised that efforts in this area were already under progress.
The chief justice was informed that in the last three months, 5,383 cases were resolved compared to 3,600 new files, resulting in a total pendency of 34,083 cases. He valued the increased disposal rate, crediting it to enhanced case management and efficient bench formation, and underscored the necessity of sustaining this momentum to bolster public trust in the justice system.
The meeting additionally assessed the status of incarceration petitions and capital sentence appeals. The quantity of pending death sentence cases has decreased markedly from 384 in October 2024 to 60. The court ruled that all outstanding death sentence appeals will be scheduled for hearing within the next 30 days, with those submitted up to 2018 being prioritized to alleviate the backlog.
Participants were notified that the implementation of a barcoding system for file tracking and case categorization is underway and anticipated to be finalized within one month. The digitization of documents has been fully completed, and e-payment options for certified copies and review petitions are already functional via the Public Facilitation Centre.
The center has processed more than 20,800 service requests in the past three months, indicating a heightened dependence on digital services by litigants and attorneys. The chief justice mandated the extension of e-payment options for all types of court costs within one week and advocated for the continued enhancement of online services to increase convenience and transparency.
Matters with branch registries were also addressed, with directives made for their prompt settlement.
The top justice reiterated the judiciary’s dedication to a litigant-centered system, asserting that prompt and effective adjudication is both a constitutional obligation and a moral duty. He recognized the collaboration of the legal community in facilitating digitalization initiatives and praised court personnel for furthering the reform agenda.