Islamabad:
The president of the Supreme Court, Yahya Afridi, said on Monday that the integration of technology into the justice system is essential to guarantee greater accessibility, transparency and efficiency in the courts.
The main judge made these comments when addressing a symposium entitled “Use of Technology in the Judicial System in Pakistan: Perspectives and Promises” in the Federal Capital.
The event, convened by the Pakistan Law and Justice Commission, brought together the estimated members of the Judiciary, international experts and senior government officials to explore the future of judicial reforms through digital transformation.
The judge of the Supreme Court Shahid Waheed presented an overview of the progress and the evolution of information technology within the Pakistan judicial system, highlighting the milestones achieved and the structural challenges that remain.
The symposium presented perspectives of international experts, Li Xiaohui, an expert from the Popular Court of China, who shared China’s digital trip in judicial reforms.
In his main speech, the president of the Supreme Court stressed that the integration of technology in the justice system is not simply a matter of modernization, but it is essential to make the courts more accessible, transparent and efficient for the people they serve.
He described the symposium as appropriate and with a vision of the future, aligning with the reform agenda to be deliberate by the National Judicial Committee (NJPMC) at its next meeting.
The president of the Supreme Court recognized the vital contributions of Judge Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Judge Shahid Waheed, Judge Ali Baqar Najafi, the Supreme Court of Pakistan/President of Pakistan/Members of the National Commission for Judicial Automation (NJAC), and the Commission of Justice of Pakistan (LJCP) for leading this initiative.
He also extended a warm welcome to international guests and expressed his gratitude to Judge Zhang Jun, the president of the Popular Supreme Court of China, and Judge Kadir Ozkaya, the president of the Constitutional Court of Türkiye, for his continuous support and commitment to judicial cooperation.
Reflecting on the current reforms, the main judge highlighted the key digital innovations recently implemented by the Supreme Court, including e-filing codes, QR on judgments, expanded video links of video links, the launch of a citizen feedback portal and the use of data analysis for case management. However, he also recognized continuous challenges, such as digital division, evolutionary legal frameworks and cyber security vulnerabilities.
He stressed that resistance to technological change should not prevent progress, and emphasized the need for a national integral framework to guide the judicial digital transformation, including solid cyber security protocols, ethical guidelines for the use of AI and a culture of collaboration that involves higher courts, judicial academies, government institutions, academia and the legal community.
The president of the Supreme Court reaffirmed that technology is a powerful tool to build institutional trust, eliminate barriers to access and improve the quality of justice.
He asked all interested parties to advance with unity and resolve to shape a judicial system that meets the needs of the present and gain the confidence of future generations.
