PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) Chief Justice SM Attique Shah on Sunday said that all institutional support would be extended to the district judiciary to ensure inexpensive and expeditious justice for litigants.
He said this while addressing the District and Sessions Judges Conference held at the PHC.
The moot was chaired by the Administration Committee, comprising Chief Justice SM Attique Shah, Senior Puisne Judge Justice Ijaz Anwar, Justice Arshad Ali, Justice Sahibzada Asad Ullah, and Justice Muhammad Naeem Anwar.
The PHC CJ underscored the importance of a responsive and assertive judiciary, saying it was the collective responsibility of the judicial officers to deliver justice in a transparent and efficient manner.
He urged the participants to make their respective districts models of effective justice delivery, ensuring fairness, fearlessness, and independence.
The PHC CJ directed the judges to show zero tolerance for corruption within their establishments and to take firm action against any elements whose misconduct tarnishes the image of the judiciary.
He called for reducing delays in the disposal of cases, particularly those involving under-trial prisoners, rent matters, inheritance, and matrimonial disputes.
Commending the district judiciary for maintaining a high case disposal rate, the PHC CJ emphasized that there was no room for complacency and urged continued improvement.
Earlier, Justice Ijaz Anwar, in his welcome address, highlighted the importance of timely decisions and a proactive approach to justice delivery despite challenges from other stakeholders.
Justice Arshad Ali emphasized capacity building through regular academic sessions at the district level and called for meaningful trial scheduling to improve case management and minimize delays.
Justice Sahibzada Asad Ullah stressed the need for a proactive judiciary that ensures all relevant facts are brought to light, even if overlooked by the parties.
Justice Muhammad Naeem Anwar said that both trial and appellate courts should conduct thorough appraisals of evidence to ensure proper examination of facts on record.
In his welcome address, the registrar presented an overview of the district judiciary’s performance over the past five years and outlined key features of the Strategic Plan 2025–30. He said that during the last five years, around 73 percent of the backlog cases had been cleared.