Govt, Judiciary Back Mediation Reforms to Reduce Case Backlog

Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik described Pakistan’s justice system as standing at a critical juncture. Over 2.26 million pending cases across the country represent not only a legal challenge but also a human crisis affecting livelihoods, rights, and economic activity.

Supreme Court Judge Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb called for a “mediation before litigation” approach to dispute resolution during his keynote address as chief guest at the launch of a major reform package aimed at making mediation the preferred route for resolving labor and commercial disputes. The reform package was launched by the Research Society of International Law (RSIL) and the Legal Aid Society, proposing legal and institutional reforms to strengthen implementation of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Act, 2017.

Justice Aurangzeb highlighted Pakistan’s potential to replicate successful mediation models from countries like Turkey but also pointed out institutional weaknesses that could undermine reform efforts. Former Supreme Court judge Justice (retd) Arif Hussain Khilji strongly endorsed mediation as an effective dispute-resolution tool, citing the Legal Aid Society’s experience of resolving two to three cases daily with a settlement rate of approximately 74 per cent.