Islamabad: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Khan Afridi held a consultative meeting with the leadership of the Pakistan Bar Council, Provincial Bar Councils, and the Supreme Court Bar Association as part of ongoing stakeholders’ engagement on justice sector reforms.
The meeting was attended by Muhammad Masood Chishti, Vice Chairman, and Munir Ahmed Malik, Chairman Executive Committee, Pakistan Bar Council; Khawaja Qaiser Butt, Vice Chairman, and Fakhar Hayat Awan, Chairman Executive Committee, Punjab Bar Council; AsfandYar Khan, Vice Chairman, and Malik Emad Azam, Chairman Executive Committee, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council; Jadain Dashti, Vice Chairman, and Ayaz Khan Mandokhail, Chairman Executive Committee, Balochistan Bar Council; and Haroon-ur-Rashid, President, and Malik Zahid Aslam Awan, Secretary, Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan while Ishtiaq Ahmed Memon, Vice Chairman, Sindh Bar Council, attended the meeting virtually. The Registrar, Supreme Court of Pakistan, and the Secretary, Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan, were also present, while the Additional Resident Secretaries of the Law Commission participated through video link.
Congratulating the newly elected representatives, the Chief Justice outlined key decisions taken by the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee, including institutional response on enforced disappearances, safeguards against extraneous influence on Judges, establishment of Commercial Litigation Corridor, and Model Civil and Criminal Trial Courts for expeditious justice.
He also highlighted major reform initiatives focusing time-bound adjudication in thirteen categories of cases, the Double-Docket Court Regime, court-annexed mediation, a Professional Excellence Index, standardized judicial appointments and training, biometric case verification, video-link hearings for under-trial prisoners and witnesses, ethical guidelines on AI use, and enhanced judicial welfare.
Updating participants on access-to-justice initiatives, the Chief Justice shared that priority projects under the Access to Justice Development Fund – including solarization of courts, e-libraries, women facilitation centres, and clean drinking water – are underway, with completion targeted by August 2026.
Representatives of the Bar appreciated the reform momentum and emphasized capacity building for young lawyers. In response, the Chief Justice highlighted Continuing Legal Education programmes of the Federal Judicial Academy and announced a dedicated online course for young lawyers.
The Chief Justice emphasized that this conversation shall remain a continuous process and invited the Bar Councils to identify priority needs for improved accessibility under the Access to Justice Development Fund for the forthcoming year and directed the Additional Resident Secretaries of the Commission to ensure equitable treatment of all Bar Associations, with particular emphasis on the remotest and underserved areas.