The first ever Registrars’ Conference was held on 14th and 15th of February 2020 at local hotel in Islamabad. The event was organized by Peshawar High Court with the support of United Nations Development Programme - Pakistan. The Conference was attended by Registrars and delegates from High Courts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh, and Baluchistan including those from Azad and Jammu Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan.
Speaking on the occasion, the Registrar Peshawar High Court mentioned that several initiatives have been taken and reforms made under the leadership of Hon’ble Chief Justice Waqar Ahmed Seth. The same, inter alia, are as under:
• Rigorous monitoring and evaluation for judicial autonomy and transparency.
• Public access to the complaint cell facilitated through complaint boxes, emails and call centers
• Commitment to the provisions of Human Rights: from July 2018 to Oct 2019, the Human Rights Cell received 4161 complaints (while 238 complaints were already pending). Out of these, 4040 complaints were disposed of while 359 complaints are in process of disposal.
• Rigorous application of modern office management procedures.
• Establishment of Child Protection Courts in Peshawar, Mardan and Abbotabad.
• Establishment of Gender Based Violence (GBV) Courts.
• The year 2018-19 was declared as Performance Year: Disposal of cases by District Judiciary excluding NMDs was 458546. 2078 cases were disposed of in NMDs.
• Austerity Measures: Protocol for Hon’ble the Chief Justice returned, economy in electricity, one dish and entertainment with only tea and biscuits in office.
• Modern Evaluation Techniques devised and refined via Revised Unit Policy 2018.
• Dedicated Support Facility for District Judiciary by establishment of Secretariat of District Judiciary through legal backing by amendment in High Court Rules and Orders.
• Prescribed Tenure Policy of transfers/postings of Judicial Officers.
• Policy Decisions: In 15 Meetings of Administration Committee, 83 agenda items addressed. • Human Resource Development: There were created 22-posts of Senior Civil Judges along with 253-posts of allied staff for District Judiciary; 93-Posts for Benches of the High Court. 50 Civil Judges were promoted as SCJs, while 38 SCJs as ADSJs and 36 ADSJs as D&SJs.
• Innovative Scientific Policy Making Approaches: There was established Data Analysis Wing where Data Modelling Toolkits have been developed.
• Use of a strong IT Based Monitoring Mechanism: It introduced Case Flow Management Information System in 04 districts and enabled audio-video conferencing between High Court and District Judiciary. It further ensures virtual appearance of lawyers from Mardan and Kohat via Internet with the Principal Seat at Peshawar.
• Standard Health Facilities: Upgradation of the dispensary to Basic Health Unit.
• Stock Inventory System has been put in place.
• Security Audit: It was conducted and remedial measures were put in place.
• Central Control Room: It remains operational 24/7 at PHC.
• E Kiosk established to facilitate the bar and the litigants in relation to fixation of cases.
• Legal Draftsman Wing: It gave 1450 legal opinions.
• Judicial Reform Strategy 2018-22: The strategy has been developed and shared with all stakeholders.
• Innovative Approach for welfare of Judicial Officers: Agreements with Bank of Khyber for Financing Facility (Car and Housing).
• Purpose-built Infrastructure: 5 Judicial Complexes have been completed in Peshawar, Charsadda, Swabi, Bannu, and Lakki Marwat Districts. Several projects at district and tehsil level are in progress.
• Establishment of Courts in Newly Merged Districts after 25th Constitutional Amendment: 07 District and Session Judges, 14 Additional District and Session Judges, 07 Senior Civil Judges and 28 Civil Judges have been posted. Construction of District and Tehsil Judicial Complexes in Newly Merged District (PC II) approved by Planning & Development Department Govt. of KP and small grants provided to Judicial Officers for renovation of interim setups.
• Expeditious Disposal Methodology: Case Management Rules implemented.
• Revamping of Record Rooms by application of Information and Communication Technology: It is being carried out throughout the province.
• Disposal of Cases by Peshawar High Court: 29812 cases disposed of during this period.
• Judicial Services Act and summaries of creation of vacancies in all districts: The same are pending with the government.
• Member Inspection Team: The office disposed of 183 complaints out of 218. 35 cases are pending.
• Model Courts Established in 35 districts: Despite human resource constraints, Model Courts have been established. In some courts the pendency has reached zero mark. 13 Judges from KP were awarded top performance awards in different categories. 09 Judges are nominated for upcoming awards of MTMC from KP. All the Registrars and delegates of High Courts including those from Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan whole-heartedly participated in the deliberations about governance issues related to judicial administration and shared their rich experiences, best practices, success stories, and learned lessons for developing common guidelines and adoption of analytical activities for mutual learning and replication. The areas dilated upon in the conference included: High Court Administration, District Judiciary Administration, Monitoring and Inspection, Financial Management, Use of Information Technology and Automation, Court/Case Management, and Training and Development of staff. The recommendations and viewpoints of the Registrars of all the High Courts will be documented and shared through a formal report.
Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Guest, Hon’ble Chief Justice, Peshawar High Court mentioned that a Judiciary, being an important pillar of the state is constantly under scrutiny of society and facing several challenges. The Chief Guest emphasized that successful judicial system is only possible through Judicial Officers working with full dedication and making their contribution to the fullest. He marked the conference as the beginning of a new chapter in the already strong bonds of friendship, cooperation and mutual respect between the judiciaries of all the provinces of Pakistan, including those of AJ&K and GB moving from regional to the national level. He reiterated and pressed upon the requirement of a responsive judicial administration with contemporary governance approaches that respond to the needs of the society and uses intelligent technologies to deliver judicial services in the most efficient manner. The Chief Justice Peshawar High Court informed the Conference that Peshawar High Court has conceptualized a strategy for reforms and development in the justice sector with the goals of improving the quality of court services; increasing access to and improving the infrastructure; ensure human resource
development; use of information technology for service delivery improvement; and to ensure speedy and accountable justice.
The Chief Guest appreciated the organizers and participants for sharing their valuable experiences and said that such conferences should continue in the future for sharing experiences, promoting coordination between High Courts and developing common approaches to deal with the huge backlog of cases the country is facing. He hoped that conferences like these can become a stepping stone towards realization of an effective judicial system in the country.
At the end of the conference, the house issued ‘Declaration of Islamabad’ emphasizing the need for holding such like conferences in future to improve coordination with respect to various judicial and administrative issues.
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