ISLAMABAD:
Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi led the Pakistani delegation at the 14th St. Petersburg International Legal Forum (SPILF) in the Russian Federation, where he engaged with judicial leaders from around the world to strengthen international judicial cooperation and promote Pakistan’s ongoing judicial reform agenda.
The forum, held in St. Petersburg from June 24 to 26, brought together judicial leaders, policymakers, jurists and professionals from numerous jurisdictions. The Pakistani delegation also included the president of the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) of Pakistan and the ambassador of Pakistan to the Russian Federation.
On the sidelines of the forum, the Chief Justice held a series of bilateral meetings with heads of foreign judiciaries aimed at improving institutional collaboration and expanding judicial dialogue.
The judicial extension surprises
Since the passing of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, the higher judiciary, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, has actively collaborated with the judiciaries of several foreign states.
However, sections of the legal community question why the Chief Justice is seeking to establish frameworks for bilateral judicial cooperation with countries where they say the courts operate under the influence of the executive.
The higher judiciary, headed by Justice Afridi, has so far signed memorandums of understanding with the highest courts of China and Turkiye. Some lawyers believe that the executive exercises control over the judiciary of both countries.
In the latest development, Justice Afridi met with representatives of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to establish a framework for bilateral judicial cooperation.
The proposed collaboration covers judicial exchanges, professional and judicial education, legal research, judicial administration, digital transformation and exchange of best practices.
Former Additional Attorney General Waqar Rana claims that courts in Russia, China and Turkiye have traditionally supported authoritarian regimes to promote real and fictitious security concerns.
“Pakistan’s courts have been trying to maintain a balance between freedom and order, but in recent years there has been a tendency for the balance to tip towards order, ignoring freedom and seemingly siding with the executive,” says Rana.
Commenting on the compromise, lawyer Asad Rahim Khan says that since the new rules have so restricted judicial interaction with the outside world, it is quite extraordinary that an exception is made for a trip to Russia.
“The state of the Russian judiciary – and its totally compromised independence – is well known. At a time when Pakistan is beset by the biggest judicial regression in its history, can there really be much to learn from a foreign judiciary that has become totally subordinate to its executive,” he further states.
CJP Afridi leads the Pakistani delegation at the 14th St. Petersburg International Legal Forum (SPILF), to be held from June 24 to 26, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, where he interacted with judicial leaders from around the world to strengthen international judicial cooperation and promote Pakistan’s ongoing judicial reform agenda.
In addition to Justice Afridi, the Pakistani delegation includes the president of the Federal Constitutional Court, Aminuddin Khan, and the ambassador of Pakistan to the Russian Federation.
Lawyer Faisal Siddiqi affirms that with this conference “the judiciary has achieved its rightful place in the world of autocratic legalism, that is, weak courts within a dominant executive branch,” he adds.
According to a statement by the Supreme Court, the forum also provided an opportunity to showcase ongoing judicial reform initiatives in Pakistan, including progress in digitalization of courts, responsible adoption of emerging technologies, institutional strengthening and measures aimed at improving access to justice.
These engagements facilitated a meaningful exchange of experiences on contemporary challenges facing justice systems and reinforced Pakistan’s commitment to learning from international best practices.
The opening day concluded with the plenary session, where the Pakistani delegation interacted with judicial leaders, policymakers, jurists and professionals from numerous jurisdictions, further strengthening Pakistan’s commitment to the global legal community.
The delegation’s participation reaffirmed the Supreme Court’s commitment to judicial diplomacy, international cooperation and the promotion of an independent, efficient, accessible and technology-based justice system through sustained collaboration with partner judiciaries, according to the statement issued by the Supreme Court PRO.
