Judges must notify leave outside judicial vacations: CJ Afridi

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Yahya Afridi stated that judges do not need to seek permission during vacations, but outside the holidays, they need to notify prior to leave.

A judicial conference was held in the Supreme Court on the occasion of the new judicial year after the annual vacations under the chairmanship of Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi.

The conference was attended by judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, as well as Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan, officials of the Pakistan Bar Council and the Supreme Court Bar Association.

Addressing the ceremony, Chief Justice Yahya Afridi said that this tradition started in the 1970s and has been celebrated regularly since 2004.

He said that this is an opportunity for the judiciary to review its performance and set goals for the coming year.

Judicial reforms

CJ Afridi stated that since assuming office, he has made the rule of law a priority and brought about reforms on five pillars.

These are electronic case filing, e-services, free legal aid to those who cannot afford a lawyer, and transparency measures such as internal audits.

He emphasized the necessity to integrate artificial intelligence in the judicial system, although admitting the judiciary is not yet fully ready for instant adoption.

The Chief Justice announced that utmost attention is being given to disposing of cases expeditiously using technology.

He further added that early hearing petitions will no longer be left unattended and that cases will be heard in the order of filing, and not by cherry-picking from the bottom.

During the Judicial Conference, he explained that the judges do not go on three months of continuous leave, but one month at a time within the three-month holiday period, while during the remainder of the time they sit at the registry.

As far as security is concerned, the Chief Justice told judges that they do not need extra protocol within the Red Zone. Extra security will be given outside the Red Zone or if there is a threat.

He added that despite having nine security vehicles before, he slashed them to two since both his house and the court are within the Red Zone.

Attorney General’s Address

Attorney General Mansoor Usman Awan, while addressing the conference, said that the judiciary has always strived to provide prompt justice to the people.

He said that adherence to the constitution and law ensures transparency, and fulfilling the requirements of the law is the real beauty of the constitution.

He said that the number of pending cases has decreased compared to the previous year, and the judges and officers of the Supreme Court deserve praise.

The Attorney General further said that special benches have been formed for constitutional cases, and the court should also take advantage of technology and artificial intelligence.