Karachi: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Khan Afridi on Wednesday held a consultative meeting at the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Branch Registry Karachi, on judicial sector development projects and reform initiatives being undertaken in Karachi.
The meeting was attended by Chief Justice of the High Court of Sindh, Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput, and representatives of the legal fraternity, including Muhammad Haseeb Jamali, President, Sindh High Court Bar Association, Karachi; Ms. Fareeda Mangrio, ASC, Honorary Secretary; Ms. Rukhsana Umar, Member, Managing Committee; Amir Nawaz Warraich, President, Karachi Bar Association; Muhammad Arshad Shar, General Secretary; and Ms. Hussan Bano, Member, Managing Committee.
The consultation focused on projects aimed at strengthening judicial infrastructure and improving court facilities in Sindh, including the establishment of Women Facilitation Centres, the shifting of courts to suitable premises, and the development and upgrading of judicial infrastructure. Various options relating to these initiatives were discussed with the representatives of the Bar to obtain their views and incorporate their input into the planning and implementation process.
The Chief Justice of Pakistan emphasized that no judicial reform or development initiative could achieve its intended objectives without meaningful consultation, broad-based consensus and the active participation of all stakeholders, particularly the Bar. He underscored that sustained engagement with the legal fraternity was essential to ensure that judicial projects and reforms remained practical, inclusive and responsive to the needs of litigants, lawyers and other court users.
The representatives of the Bar appreciated the inclusive and consultative approach and shared their views on the proposed projects and reforms. They assured their close coordination and continued cooperation with the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the High Court of Sindh for the successful completion of judicial sector projects and the effective implementation of reform initiatives undertaken under the leadership of the Chief Justice of Pakistan.
The meeting reaffirmed the shared commitment of the Bench and the Bar to advancing judicial reforms through continued consultation and close coordination, with a view to developing accessible, efficient, citizen-centric and responsive justice institutions across Sindh.
Meanwhile Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Khan Afridi, in his capacity as Chairman of the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee (NJPMC), along with Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court, Justice Zafar Ahmed Rajput, on Wednesday held a constructive meeting with a delegation of the Sindh Bar Council at the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Branch Registry Karachi. The delegation was led by Ishtiaq Ahmed Memon, Vice Chairman of the Sindh Bar Council, and comprised Ayaz Hussain Tunio, Ameer Bakhsh Metlo, Amel Khan Kasi, Samsam Ali Khan, Jahangir Rahujo, Waqar Alam Abbasi, Aroon Parsad, Riaz Ahmed Bhatti, Muhammad Waseem Shah, Irfan Ali Bughio, Abdul Razak Mahar, Abdul Sattar Luhrani, Zia ul Hassan Lanjar, Qurban Ali Malano, Shafqat Rahim Rajput, Abdul Ghani Bijarani, Asif Ali Soomro, Azhar Husain Abbasi, Muhammad Hashim Leghari and Altaf Hussain Junejo, representing various districts of the Province.
The meeting formed part of the ongoing stakeholder consultation initiated by the Chief Justice of Pakistan to develop a uniform and standardized national framework for e-filing across the Supreme Court, High Courts and District Courts.
The participants were apprised of the proposed National Standardized E-Filing System, envisaged as a structured, user-friendly and rules-compliant platform aligned with the legal and procedural requirements governing judicial proceedings. The initiative forms part of the judiciary's broader reform agenda to harness technology for modernizing court processes, enhancing efficiency and transparency, improving predictability, and making justice more accessible and responsive to litigants and lawyers.
The Chair underscored that the Bar, as a principal stakeholder and user of the proposed framework, would play a vital role in the development of standardized e-filing templates and the system's successful implementation at all tiers of the judiciary. The participants were encouraged to provide practical input to ensure that the proposed system is accessible, responsive and easy to use.
The members of the delegation welcomed the initiative and expressed the hope that the proposed system would facilitate advocates and litigants through simplified filing procedures, effective case tracking and the creation of a unified electronic case record.
It was decided that a committee comprising the Registrars of all High Courts and two members nominated by each Provincial Bar Council and the Islamabad Bar Council would review and finalize the standardized e-filing templates. Upon finalization, the templates will be placed before the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee for its consideration and policy directions.