CJP Afridi calls for stronger district judiciary

Chief Justice Yahya Afridi recently addressed a conference in Islamabad, calling for significant improvements to the district judiciary and emphasizing its vital role as the backbone of Pakistan's justice system. He explained that the first point of contact for most citizens with state institutions is the district judiciary, making it crucial to strengthen public confidence in this institution.

To accomplish this, Afridi stressed the importance of integrity, competence, fairness, compassion, and empowering judges to deliver exceptional outcomes.

Afridi revealed that during his visits to various cities across the country, including Chitral, Gwadar, Sadiqabad, Bahawalnagar, and Nagarparkar, he discovered a disconnect between the district judiciary and the National Judicial Policy Making Committee (NJPMC). The NJPMC, established in 2002, is responsible for coordinating and harmonizing judicial policy within the court system and in collaboration with the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan.

The CJP noted that projects initiated by district courts experienced lengthy approval processes, sometimes taking up to four months, and some never materialized due to ballooning costs.

In response to these challenges, the NJPMC took action by appointing additional secretaries for each province to act as intermediaries between the committee, high courts, and district judiciary. They also set a 21-day timeline for project approval and the disbursement of funds from the Access to Justice Fund. Afridi stated that a "wishlist" of urgent needs for the district judiciary was compiled, which identified four priority areas: uninterrupted electricity, internet connectivity, essential facilities for women, and clean water.

The NJPMC subsequently allocated funds to address these priorities, disbursing a total of Rs3.4 billion over the past 20 years.

To enhance working conditions for judicial officers, Afridi revealed that several steps had been taken by the NJPMC, including updates to the code of conduct and the establishment of a procedure to tackle extraneous influence. Additionally, all tehsil courts in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and Islamabad have been solarized.

Afridi expressed concerns over Pakistan's low ranking in the Rule of Law Index, which attributes this poor performance to the inadequate facilities provided to the district judiciary. He emphasized that if the remote areas of the country are provided with basic facilities like electricity, internet, and clean water, there is no valid reason for the district judiciary to be overlooked in rankings.

In the spirit of acknowledging and honoring excellence, Afridi announced the commendation of judicial officers who have demonstrated exceptional leadership. He also paid tribute to Judge Hakeem Kakar, who was tragically killed, urging the community to continue upholding the rule of law and serving the people of Pakistan. Afridi concluded his speech by urging the Rule of Law Index assessors to consider the sacrifices of judicial officers in remote areas and offer assistance in facilitating visits to such locations.