Digitalisation of justice system a citizen-centric reform: CJP

ISLAMABAD: In order to make justice delivery more transparent and citizen-centric, the Chief Justice of Pakistan chaired a high-level policy meeting on Tuesday to steer progress on the automation and digitisation of courts across Pakistan.

The session was attended by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar, Chairman of the National Judicial Automation Committee; Haroon Rasheed, President of the Supreme Court Bar Association; Syed Ali Zafar, Senior Advocate of the Supreme Court, in his capacity as a representative of the SCBA; Zarrar Hasham Khan, Secretary of the Ministry of IT & Telecommunication; Dr. Sohail Munir, Chairman of the Pakistan Digital Authority; Sohail Laghari, Registrar of the Supreme Court; and others.

During the session, the Chief Justice emphasised that the digital transformation of the justice sector—from District Courts to the Supreme Court—is a citizen-centric reform aimed at ensuring accessibility, transparency, and efficiency. While the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee (NJPMC) will steer this reform initiative, all stakeholders will be taken on board to make it inclusive and sustainable.

The Secretary of the Ministry of IT & Telecommunication briefed the participants and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to supporting justice-sector digitisation, while the Chairman of the Pakistan Digital Authority outlined protocols for data governance and cybersecurity.

It was informed that the Federal Government has prioritised nine (9) sectors, including Law and Justice, in its National Digital Masterplan, with the objective to digitise and re-imagine existing processes to ensure improved service delivery. To ensure the system design aligns with judicial needs and is responsive, the Chief Justice desired that the Federal Judicial Academy conduct a series of Focus Group Discussions. These will bring together experts from the Pakistan Digital Authority and justice sector stakeholders for structured engagement.

Reaffirming the judiciary’s modernisation agenda, the Chief Justice noted that by August 2026, all courts across Pakistan will be solar-powered and equipped with e-libraries, women facilitation centres, and clean drinking water facilities.

He underscored that the next major milestone is the establishment of a fully integrated E-Court ecosystem, linking all tiers of the judiciary through secure digital platforms.