As part of ongoing stakeholder engagement, the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan held an interactive and consultative meeting with representatives of the legal fraternity at the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Mr Mansoor Usman Awan, Attorney General for Pakistan, was also present in the meeting.
The meeting was attended by representatives of the Lahore High Court Bar Association, Lahore, led by Mr. Qasim Ijaz Summra, Secretary, and comprising Mr. Sohail Qaiser Tarar, Vice President, and Mr. Ali Raza Khokhar, Finance Secretary; representatives of the District Bar Association Bahawalnagar, led by Mr. Ahmad Farid Chishti, President, and comprising Mr. Sajid Mehboob, Secretary, and Mr. Ali Abid, Auditor; representatives of the Tehsil Bar Association Kabirwala, led by Mr. Sardar Ghulam Jilani Sial, President, and comprising Mr. Ghulam Murtaza, Member Executive, and Mr. Rao Sultan Ahmed, Member Punjab Bar Council; representatives of the Tehsil Bar Association Mian Channu, led by Mr. Mahar Aamir H. Lak, Advocate High Court, President; representatives of the Tehsil Bar Association Yazman, led by Mr. Hasan Mehmood Ch., General Secretary, and comprising Mr. Iftkhar Ahmed Jajah, President, and Mr. Aftab Ahmed Ghuman, Advocate; representatives of the District Bar Association Sheikhupura, led by Mr. Ch. Shahbaz Ahmad Virk, President, and comprising Ms. Amna Shahadat Bhatti, General Secretary, and Mr. Faisal Rasool, Advocate; and representatives of the Islamabad Bar Association, led by Mr. Chaudry Naeem Ali Gujjar, President, and comprising Mr. Raja Khawar Dhanyal, Secretary, and Ms. Erum Rasheed, Vice President.
The representatives of the Bar Associations appreciated the convening of the consultative engagement and acknowledged the reform measures being undertaken in the justice sector. Discussions focused on judicial reforms, facilitation of lawyers and litigants, improvement of case management systems, reduction of procedural delays, enhancement of access to justice, and capacity-building opportunities for young lawyers.
The Hon’ble Chief Justice observed that the Bar constitutes a central stakeholder in the justice sector and emphasized that effective and efficient dispensation of justice depends upon continued cooperation and constructive engagement between the Bench and the legal fraternity.
The participants were also briefed on ongoing reform initiatives being undertaken through the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee (NJPMC), and the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP), including digitization of judicial processes, e-filing, video-link hearings, Public Facilitation Centres, ADR and mediation frameworks, and other citizen-centric judicial reforms.
Particular emphasis was placed on Continuing Legal Education programmes being conducted by the Federal Judicial Academy. The Hon’ble Chief Justice informed the participants about online and physical training programmes for young lawyers, including province-specific initiatives aimed at improving professional competence and legal practice standards.
The Hon’ble Chief Justice further briefed the delegations on reforms relating to Women Facilitation Centres, establishment of e-libraries, solarization of court complexes, provision of clean drinking water, digital connectivity, and modernization of judicial infrastructure at the district judiciary level.
The consultative engagement reaffirmed the shared institutional commitment of the Bench and the Bar towards strengthening judicial independence, improving access to justice, enhancing institutional efficiency, and promoting a responsive, inclusive, and citizen-centric justice system in Pakistan.
