Timely justice constitutional, moral imperative: CJP

ISLAMABAD: Reaffirming the judiciary’s resolve to place litigants at the heart of all reforms, Chief Justice Yahya Afridi on Tuesday emphasised that the delivery of timely and effective justice is not only a constitutional obligation but also a moral imperative.

The chief justice chaired the fifth interactive session held at the Supreme Court of Pakistan, bringing together senior officials, stakeholders, and officers of the Supreme Court to evaluate the progress of comprehensive judicial reforms aimed at enhancing service delivery and expanding access to justice nationwide. During the meeting, the chief justice was informed of a notable reduction in case pendency, credited directly to recent initiatives — a significant step towards the timely resolution of cases. While reviewing performance in key areas such as case categorisation, document scanning, and the Case Management System, the chief justice expressed concern over delays—particularly in the categorisation of cases—and directed all relevant departments to expedite the completion of these tasks before the next review meeting.

He stressed that such progress is essential to sustain public confidence and ensure that judicial reforms remain aligned with the needs and expectations of litigants. The chief justice was also apprised of substantial progress on the court’s ambitious reform agenda. Of the 89 identified initiatives, 26 have been completed, reflecting concrete advancements in several key areas. Additionally, the chief justice was informed that 44 initiatives are currently underway, while 14 are scheduled to commence shortly. The meeting was attended by Registrar of the Supreme Court Muhammad Salim Khan; development expert Sher Shah (joining online from France); IT expert Hamayun Zafar; section heads from the Supreme Court’s Principal Seat and Branch Registries; the senior director of the Federal Judicial Academy; and a representative of the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan.