CJP Reviews Judicial Reforms, Praises Improved Case Management

Chief Justice Yahya Afridi chaired the tenth interactive session at the Supreme Court on Tuesday to review progress on judicial reforms under the Reform Action Plan (RAP). The meeting focused on reducing delays in case disposal, digitizing court processes, and strengthening institutional performance.

Federal Ombudsman Naveed Kamran Baloch, the Supreme Court registrar, senior officials of the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan, the Federal Judicial Academy, and section heads of the apex court attended the session. Officials briefed the meeting on steps taken to streamline case management, including categorization of cases, digitization of records, integration of IT systems, and financial digitization.

Progress on automation measures such as e-courts, QR-coded certified copies, and data-driven decision-making tools was reviewed, along with developments in alternative dispute resolution (ADR) and mediation programmes. The federal ombudsman stressed the importance of introducing measurable performance benchmarks, including key performance indicators (KPIs) and disbursement-linked indicators (DLIs).

Over the past three months, 5,383 cases were disposed of against 3,600 new filings, reducing the total pendency to 34,083 cases. The number of pending death penalty cases dropped significantly from 384 in October 2024 to 60, with all remaining death sentence appeals set for hearing within the next 30 days.

The introduction of a barcoding system for file tracking and case categorization is underway, expected to be completed within a month. Digitization of records has largely been finalized, while e-payment facilities for certified copies and review petitions are operational through the Public Facilitation Centre. The center handled over 20,800 service requests in the last three months.

Issues relating to branch registries were discussed, with instructions issued for their early resolution. Chief Justice Afridi reaffirmed the judiciary’s commitment to a litigant-focused system, emphasizing timely and effective adjudication as both a constitutional duty and moral responsibility. He acknowledged cooperation from the legal fraternity in supporting digitization efforts and commended court staff for advancing the reform agenda.