Pakistan, Türkiye forge new chapter in judicial cooperation

ISLAMABAD, Apr 07 (APP):Pakistan and Türkiye on Tuesday reaffirmed their enduring brotherly ties by ushering in a new phase of judicial cooperation, aimed at strengthening constitutional governance, the rule of law, and institutional collaboration between the two countries.

The development emerged during the visit of a high-level delegation from the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Türkiye to the newly established Federal Constitutional Court of Pakistan (FCCP) in Islamabad.

The delegation was led by Justice Kadir Özkaya, President of the Turkish Constitutional Court, and included senior judges and officials of the court. They were received by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Afridi, Chief Justice of the FCCP Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan, along with judges of the FCCP, Federal Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar, Minister of State for Law and Justice Barrister Aqeel Malik, Attorney General for Pakistan Usman Mansoor Awan, and senior officials from the FCCP and the Ministry of Law and Justice.

Upon arrival, the visiting dignitaries were warmly welcomed at the FCCP, marking the beginning of formal engagements between the two sides.

During delegation-level talks, both countries underscored their historically close and fraternal relations, rooted in shared cultural, political, and strategic understanding. The two sides expressed a mutual commitment to deepening cooperation in the judicial sphere, particularly in areas such as constitutional interpretation, judicial review, protection of fundamental rights, and institutional capacity-building.

The discussions focused on the exchange of legal expertise, training of judges, and sharing of best practices to enhance the efficiency and independence of constitutional courts. Both sides also emphasized the importance of upholding constitutional supremacy and ensuring access to justice as cornerstones of democratic governance.

The visit is being seen as a significant step in expanding Pakistan-Türkiye cooperation beyond traditional domains such as defense and trade into the critical field of judicial collaboration. It also reflects Pakistan’s efforts to strengthen its constitutional framework following the establishment of the FCCP, envisioned as a specialized forum for constitutional adjudication.

Legal experts view such engagements as vital for institutional learning, particularly as Pakistan’s Federal Constitutional Court evolves and seeks to benefit from the experience of well-established constitutional courts like that of Türkiye.

The two sides concluded the meeting with a shared resolve to continue high-level exchanges and explore formal mechanisms for sustained cooperation, paving the way for a more robust partnership in the administration of justice.