In a landmark move to revolutionize Pakistan's justice system, the Chief Justice of Pakistan presided over a crucial policy meeting on Tuesday, setting in motion an ambitious plan to automate and digitize courts across the nation.
Digital Transformation for Citizen-Centric Justice
The Chief Justice emphasized that this comprehensive digital overhaul represents a citizen-focused reform initiative. The transformation will encompass all judicial tiers, from District Courts to the Supreme Court, with the primary objectives of enhancing accessibility, ensuring transparency, and improving operational efficiency.
While the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee (NJPMC) will spearhead this reform initiative, the Chief Justice assured that all relevant stakeholders would be included to guarantee the project's inclusivity and long-term sustainability.
Government Support and Technical Framework
During the briefing, the Secretary of the Ministry of IT & Telecommunication reaffirmed the federal government's strong commitment to supporting the justice sector's digitization efforts. Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Pakistan Digital Authority outlined comprehensive protocols for data governance and cybersecurity measures.
Participants learned that the Federal Government has prioritized nine key sectors, including Law and Justice, in its National Digital Masterplan. This strategic initiative aims to completely digitize and reimagine existing processes to ensure significantly improved service delivery to citizens.
Implementation Roadmap and Future Vision
To ensure the system design perfectly aligns with judicial requirements, the Chief Justice directed the Federal Judicial Academy to conduct a series of Focus Group Discussions. These sessions will bring together experts from the Pakistan Digital Authority and justice sector stakeholders for structured engagement.
Following these consultations, the Ministry of IT will finalize a comprehensive checklist documenting baseline requirements, including infrastructure readiness and connectivity standards.
Reaffirming the judiciary's modernization agenda, the Chief Justice announced that by August 2026, all courts across Pakistan will be solar-powered and equipped with e-libraries, women facilitation centers, and clean drinking water facilities.
He highlighted that the next major milestone involves establishing a fully integrated E-Court ecosystem that will securely link all levels of the judiciary through advanced digital platforms.
Meeting Participants
The significant session was attended by Justice Mohammad Ali Mazhar, Chairman of the National Judicial Automation Committee; Haroon Rasheed, President of the Supreme Court Bar Association; Syed Ali Zafar, Senior Advocate Supreme Court, representing SCBA; Zarrar Hasham Khan, Secretary of the Ministry of IT & Telecommunication; Dr. Sohail Munir, Chairman of the Pakistan Digital Authority; Sohail Laghari, Registrar of the Supreme Court; Fakhar Zaman, Director General (Reforms); Syeda Tanzeela Sabahat, Secretary of the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan; and senior officers from both the Supreme Court and the Ministry of IT & Telecommunication.
