Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Yahya Afridi, acknowledged on Monday that the public is feeling stressed due to the escalating tensions between Pakistan and India. Speaking informally with court reporters in Islamabad, he expressed hope, saying, “God willing, everything will be fine.”
Addressing other key judicial matters, the Chief Justice said the issue of enforced disappearances and the institutional response will be reviewed in the National Judicial Policy. Lawyers have been consulted, though the government has yet to respond formally.
He revealed that the IMF has emphasized prioritizing commercial litigation. To improve case handling, district courts are set to introduce a double-shift system. Judges who volunteer to work from 2 PM to 5 PM will receive a 50% salary increase as an incentive.
Justice Afridi also highlighted international cooperation in judicial technology, noting MoUs with Türkiye for tech-based reforms. He expressed hope that similar institutional relationships would be developed with China, Iran, Bangladesh, and Türkiye to modernize Pakistan’s judiciary. The goal, he said, is to improve Pakistan’s judicial system through responsible use of AI and digital tools.
He further noted that High Courts currently outperform the Supreme Court in technology adoption, but steps are being taken to close the gap. From June 15 to July 31, the Supreme Court will transition toward a paperless environment. The number of pending cases has dropped to 56,000, and three dedicated benches are now handling criminal cases, especially death penalty and life sentence appeals, on a priority basis.