Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Afridi has announced comprehensive institutional reforms aimed at transforming the country’s judicial system, with a key focus on technology integration and operational efficiency. Addressing a conference at the Federal Judicial Academy in Islamabad, CJP Afridi expressed the judiciary’s commitment to supporting all sincere judicial officers while undertaking structural upgrades to improve justice delivery.
He reaffirmed the importance of district judiciary judges, noting that although impartiality and composure are expected of them, they too deserve institutional care and support. Highlighting a series of upcoming initiatives, the CJP revealed plans to introduce a commercial litigation corridor to streamline corporate and commercial disputes under designated benches at both the high court and Supreme Court levels. This structural adjustment is aimed at improving consistency and reducing delays in handling business-related cases.
In a move designed to enhance judicial throughput, CJP Afridi also proposed a double-docket regime that would allow courts to operate in two shifts—morning and evening. The final decision on implementing this system will depend on input from provincial high courts, which are scheduled to present their feedback in a follow-up meeting on August 18.
On the criminal justice front, the judiciary plans to designate model criminal trial courts that will prioritise the oldest pending cases before the sessions courts. These trials will be conducted on a day-to-day basis to ensure timely resolution and reduce case backlogs. In parallel, court-annexed mediation will be introduced with 20 trained judicial officers initiating the process in one district per province. The pilot program will be evaluated after three months before potential scale-up.
A significant announcement involved the integration of artificial intelligence in judicial processes. CJP Afridi emphasized the judiciary’s priority to incorporate AI ethically and responsibly. He stated that the National Judicial Automation Committee, led by Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, is developing a framework to guide the ethical use of AI tools in court operations.
Judicial appointments and responsibilities will also be streamlined, with decisions being made in consultation with relevant stakeholders to ensure that competent lawyers are assigned to both subordinate and high courts. A reform committee headed by retired Supreme Court judge Rahmat Hussain Jafri and comprising the Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court Justice Rozi Khan, all high court registrars, and the Director General of the Federal Judicial Academy will oversee the broader institutional restructuring.
CJP Afridi also shared that judicial cooperation agreements have been signed with the Supreme People’s Court of China and the Supreme Court of Turkiye. As part of these agreements, 30 judicial officers from Pakistan will receive training in China in 2026, enabling knowledge exchange and capacity building.
During the same event, Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb acknowledged the heavy workload burdening the judiciary and noted that excessive pressure, whether from caseloads or executive tasks, can hinder justice delivery. He stressed that the work of Pakistan’s judiciary—from district to superior courts—must be respected, and called on the state to recognise and support the vital role courts play in the legal system.
