ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Afridi has said that I assure you that the Chief Justice will stand with every honest judicial officer. Institutional changes take time. Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb said that the courts do most of the work in Pakistan, which should be understood. The provision of justice should be seen with respect. This is our demand from both the executive and the state. Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Afridi, while addressing a conference held at the Federal Judicial Academy on the topic of welfare of the subordinate judiciary, said that judges are expected to be composed, impartial and principled, but judges on the bench are also human beings. They need care. He said that judicial welfare is definitely human, district judiciary judges are a very valuable part of the judicial system, a policy is being introduced for the welfare of the judiciary. The Chief Justice said that Justice Shahid Waheed provided a lot of assistance in setting the agenda of the National Judicial Policy Making Committee meeting after visiting remote areas like Gwadar, Ghotki, Sadiqabad, Dera Ismail and Bannu and I firmly believe that collective wisdom always prevails over individual desires.
He said that there will be another meeting with the High Courts on August 18 to set up morning and evening courts, model criminal courts will hear trials of old criminal sessions courts, and consultations will be held with the High Courts in the meeting on August 18 to set a timeline for completing the hearing of cases in the subordinate judiciary.
The Chief Justice said that a decision will also be taken to impose judicial responsibility on competent lawyers in the subordinate judiciary or the High Court, Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar is working on adopting a methodology for the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the judiciary.
Addressing the meeting, the Chief Justice said that the matter is under consideration in the Supreme Judicial Council to respond to interference in the affairs of the Supreme Court and High Court judges, and each High Court will clarify the guidelines to respond to interference in the affairs of the subordinate judiciary on how to counter it.
He said that the Chief Justices of all High Courts have been invited, I assure you that the Chief Justice of Pakistan will stand with every honest judicial officer. The subordinate judiciary will send us recommendations for reforms, but we will not sit in the Supreme Court and make reforms. For this, a committee has been formed under the chairmanship of retired Supreme Court Judge Rehmat Hussain Jafri. Justice Rozi Khan, Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court, Registrar of all High Courts, DG Federal Judicial Academy will be members.
Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi further said that five-year agreements have been signed with the Supreme Court of China and the Supreme Court of Turkey. 30 judicial officers from the subordinate judiciary will be sent for training in the Chinese Supreme Court next year.
He said that the Chief Justice of Pakistan is ready for your welfare, the entire judiciary is with the subordinate judiciary, institutional changes take time.
Earlier, Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb said in his speech that if there is pressure of judicial work or executive responsibilities or any other factor, then justice cannot be delivered.
Justice Mian Gul Hassan Aurangzeb said that as a lawyer for 18 years, most of the working in Pakistan is done in the courts, from the district judiciary to the high judiciary, the courts do the most work, which should be understood.
He said that the delivery of justice should be seen with respect, our demand is from the executive and the state.