Islamabad:
Judge of the Supreme Court, Mansoor Ali Shah, underlined on Saturday the need to adopt another dispute settlement mechanism (ADR) to approach the back of business and the shortage of judges in the country.
Speaking during a seminar of the federal capital, the main judge highlighted the state of the judicial system and proposed the ADR as a viable solution to the growing crisis.
Judge Shah revealed that despite the resolution of 1.7 million cases across the country in 2023, the backlog remains unchanged. We have to pave the way for litigants and adopt alternative methods to solve their problems, he said.
He underlined the urgent shortage of judges, quoting that there are only 13 judges available for all millions of people, creating an overwhelming burden for the judiciary.
He has assigned delays in the case of resolutions to systemic issues within the judicial system and the legal community. A delay in the event that resolutions occur due to strikes and other problems, he said.
Judge Shah pleaded for the ADR mechanism, such as mediation and arbitration, as a culturally compatible and effective approach to resolve disputes.
“The arbitration system is aligned with our culture and can solve problems amicable without creating social conflicts. This system does not even require legislative changes, because we form individuals to be effectively meded”, -I noted.
He also stressed the importance of moving away from traditional dispute practices, noting that the delay in the decision of critical cases stems from the overwhelming volume of routine cases.
We must encourage arbitration and mediation as a viable alternatives, he said, adding that the litigants should have the opportunity to continue Adr before turning to the courts.
Judge Shah stressed that the advantages of the ADR mechanism, including reduced costs and accelerated resolutions.
He said that the mediation system can provide faster decisions, sometimes in one day, while keeping affordable costs, while observing that it will not lead to economic challenges for lawyers, as they can also play A key role in the ADR process.
Judge Shah noted that ADR is no longer an option but a necessity to do justice effectively.
