Pakistan judicial reform initiatives

Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi has initiated a series of judicial reforms focused on modernization, independence, and efficiency. Initially, the reforms emphasized strengthening the Code of Conduct to protect judges from external pressure and improving the infrastructure of district courts. These efforts included allocating over 3 billion rupees for justice access, transitioning courts to solar power, and providing improved internet connectivity and e-libraries, particularly in Balochistan.

Subsequent developments expanded the reform agenda to include structural changes aimed at reducing case backlogs. The judiciary announced the implementation of evening court benches for urgent matters and a comprehensive digital transformation. This digital shift involves the digitisation and barcoding of cases, e-filing through a National Standardised E-Filing Framework, and the electronic transmission of judgments.

To enhance transparency and accountability, the case-fixing policy has been moved online, and a new quality-control measure requires two officers to recheck the cause list before proceedings. The Chief Justice also addressed public perception regarding judicial leave, clarifying that judges typically take one month of leave during a three-month period.