ISLAMABAD, Aug 1 (APP): In a momentum towards reforming the justice sector, a high-level meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Chief Justice of Pakistan to review and enhance institutional linkages between the Bar Associations and the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan.
According to a press release issued here Friday, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Yahya Afridi shared insights from his recent visits to some of the most remote districts in all provinces, where he assessed the state of judicial infrastructure and identified key challenges. Despite the availability of development funds, he observed that inadequate coordination among institutions has hindered effective implementation. He emphasized the need to include Bar Associations in judicial development efforts, especially those linked to judicial complexes.
To bridge the coordination gap, the Commission has decided to post senior-level representatives in every province. These officers will be based in the High courts and serve as liaisons with district bar associations. Their duties include raising awareness of justice sector initiatives, identifying local priorities, and supervising grassroots reforms. Bar Associations will also be invited to submit development proposals for consideration by the relevant District Development Committees headed by the D&SJ. Representatives from federal and provincial departments are now part of the process to accelerate execution and prevent resource duplication.
Highlighting the importance of synergy, the Chair urged bar representatives to engage their members proactively and stay involved in these reform efforts. He directed that all government-provided support to Bar Associations be streamlined and properly structured to maximize impact and cost-effectiveness.
He also called on provincial line departments to remain actively engaged with designated officers to ensure timely implementation of projects proposed by the District Committees. Noting challenges such as poor infrastructure, unreliable power supply, and limited digital access in underdeveloped districts, he stressed the need for targeted interventions. It was also resolved that provincial government will include these programs in their annual planning plans for justice sector and prioritize it. Moreover, shades for female litigants and basic gender centric facilities will be made a priority in ongoing development for remote areas.
The Chair also encouraged Bar Associations to benefit from the Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs offered by the Judicial Academy. He instructed that the training calendar be widely disseminated, and focal persons be appointed within each bar to coordinate with the Academy.
He also briefed the participants on recent decisions taken by the National Judicial Policy Making Committee. Bar representatives expressed their appreciation for the inclusive approach and thanked the Chair for acknowledging the challenges faced by both litigants and legal professionals. Federal and provincial stakeholders present at the meeting pledged full cooperation in achieving the shared goal of accessible, efficient, and citizen-centric justice service delivery.
The meeting was attended by Mr. Justice S. M. Attique Shah, Chief Justice of the Peshawar High Court; Tahir Warraich, Vice Chairman, Pakistan Bar Council; Ahmed Farooq Khattak, Vice Chairman, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council; Fida Bahadur, Vice President Supreme Court Bar Association, Akbar Khan Kohistani, Chairman Executive Committee, KP Bar Council; Registrar, Supreme Court of Pakistan; Registrar, Peshawar High Court; Secretary, Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan; Secretaries of Finance, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, and Planning & Development of the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; Director General, KP Judicial Academy; Director Planning, Peshawar High Court; and a representative from the Ministry of Law and Justice, Federal Government. The initiative aims to improve justice delivery and ensure inclusive representation of the legal fraternity in law and policy reforms.