CJP consults academia, experts to broaden access to justice

ISLAMABAD: As a part of commitment to strengthen service delivery and broaden access to justice, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi held a meeting here on Thursday at the Supreme Court.

The meeting was attended by the academia from Pakistan’s leading varsities and prominent development experts and advocates including Dr Ali Cheema, Vice Chancellor of Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS); Dr Aftab, Rector, FAST University; Prof Dr. Fazal Khalid, Rector, Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute of Engineering Sciences and Technology (GIKI); Dr Rizwan Riaz, Pro-Rector, National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST); Rauf Ata, President Supreme Court Bar Association (SBCA); Advocate Mansoor and Sher Shah, a noted development expert, to lay the groundwork for comprehensive justice sector reforms.

At the outset of the meeting, the CJP highlighted the challenges facing Pakistan’s justice system. He underscored that these reforms would encompass every tier of the judiciary, beginning at the apex court and extending through to the lower courts.

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.

Justice Yahya further acknowledged the invaluable role of academia in this transformative process, inviting universities to contribute their expertise to enhance judicial efficiency, transparency, and accessibility.

Supreme Court Registrar Mohammad Saleem Khan addressed the meeting on the pressing need for comprehensive reforms within the justice sector, setting a clear agenda for enhanced service delivery.

Development expert Sher Shah outlined the chief justice’s reform vision 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.