The Apex Court introduces e-hearings, e-filing and SOPs for uninterrupted, faster and more transparent delivery of justice.
ISLAMABAD:
The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it has set a new benchmark in digital justice, reaffirming its commitment to a user-friendly, transparent and technology-driven justice system.
In an official statement, the court said hearings were successfully held across the country using modern technology, enabling smooth legal proceedings even in difficult circumstances.
A court in Islamabad conducted the proceedings while lawyers appeared online from Quetta, Karachi and Hyderabad. Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi participated from Islamabad, while Justice Ayesha Malik joined the bench remotely from Lahore.
The court noted that the proceedings continued without interruption, including during emergency situations. The full list of cases was heard in the Islamabad court, with litigants and lawyers coming virtually from several cities.
Traditional paper files have largely been replaced by comprehensive digital files, significantly reducing the need to requisition documents from branch registries.
Read also: SC implements new SOPs for uninterrupted judicial work during unexpected holidays
The Supreme Court said several key reforms had been implemented, including barcode, e-filing and e-office systems. The electronic transmission of judicial decisions made it possible to render decisions immediately.
He added that video link hearings have helped to reduce geographical distances, reduce litigation costs and expand access to justice.
Separately, the court said it had introduced new standard operating procedures (SOPs) on Tuesday to ensure uninterrupted judicial work during the unexpectedly announced public holidays.
Issued by CJ Afridi, the SOPs aim to enhance the efficiency and continuity of judicial operations. Under the new framework, urgent civil and criminal cases will be given priority, including family cases, bail applications, criminal reviews, cases involving prisoners above 80 years of age, restoration applications, settlement matters and cases involving brief legal questions.
The statement added that measures have also been introduced to reduce the backlog of cases, with at least 40% of cases in each final roll to be made up of the oldest pending cases until 2018.
Special facilities have been provided to lawyers from Sindh and Balochistan, with their cases scheduled later in the week to accommodate travel and logistical constraints.
The court further said it plans to introduce an automated case-fixing system to improve transparency and objectivity while minimizing discretionary delays through algorithm-based prioritization.
The system will include weekly and monthly proposed cause lists, aimed at improving predictability and overall case flow management.
