CJP for targeted interventions to bridge disparities

TERENCE J SIGAMONY

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi expressed concern over the lack of basic infrastructure in underdeveloped districts, and emphasised the need for targeted interventions to bridge regional disparities in justice delivery.

The chief justice was meeting with a delegation of lawyers from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa at the Supreme Court Branch Registry, Peshawar.

The press release regarding the meeting, issued by the SC PRO on Friday, stated that CJP Yahya encouraged the bar members to benefit from Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programmes at the Federal Judicial Academy (FJA).

He announced a new legal aid initiative to bring inclusivity to ensure that no litigant remains unrepresented. “Financially distressed litigants will now be provided legal representation at all levels – from Magistrate Courts to the Supreme Court – at State expense, therefore asked the bars to nominate competent lawyers to the relevant judges,” he said.

The statement said, that while presiding over a high-level meeting to review and enhance institutional linkages between the Bar Associations and the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan in Peshawar, the chief justice urged bar representatives to engage their members proactively and stay involved in these reform efforts.

The CJP shared insights from his recent visits to some of the most remote districts in all provinces. He informed the participants that the Commission has decided to post senior-level representatives in every province. These officers will be based in the high courts and serve as liaisons with district bar associations. Their duties include raising awareness of justice sector initiatives, identifying local priorities, and supervising grassroots reforms.

The CJP stated that Bar Associations will also be invited to submit development proposals for consideration by the relevant District Development Committees headed by the D&SJ. Representatives from federal and provincial departments are now part of the process to accelerate execution and prevent resource duplication.

The chief justice urged bar representatives to engage their members proactively and stay involved in these reform efforts. He directed that all government-provided support to Bar Associations be streamlined and properly structured to maximise impact and cost-effectiveness.

He also called on provincial line departments to remain actively engaged with designated officers to ensure timely implementation of projects proposed by the District Committees. Noting challenges such as poor infrastructure, unreliable power supply, and limited digital access in underdeveloped districts, he stressed the need for targeted interventions.

The chief justice observed that despite the availability of development funds inadequate coordination among institutions has hindered effective implementation. He emphasised the need to include Bar Associations in judicial development efforts, especially those linked to judicial complexes.

CJP Yahya also encouraged Bar Associations to benefit from the CLE programmes offered by the FJA. He instructed that the training calendar be widely disseminated, and focal persons be appointed within each bar to coordinate with the academy.

The meeting was attended by Chief Justice Peshawar High Court SM Attique Shah; Vice Chairman Pakistan Bar Council Tahir Warraich; Vice Chairman Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bar Council Ahmed Farooq Khattak; Vice President Supreme Court Bar Association Fida Bahadur, Chairman Executive Committee, KP Bar Council Akbar Khan Kohistani; the registrars, Supreme Court and Peshawar High Court; Secretary Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan; Secretaries of Finance, Law and Parliamentary Affairs, and Planning and Development of the Government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa; Director General, KP Judicial Academy; Director Planning, Peshawar High Court; and a representative from the Ministry of Law and Justice, Federal Government.