Says district courts are backbone of justice system, calls for stronger coordination between district and high courts
CJP Afridi addressing a conference in Islamabad. Photo: Screengrab
ISLAMABAD:
Chief Justice Yahya Afridi on Saturday said the entire judiciary stood together to ensure judges were free from external pressure, adding that procedures had been put in place to protect judicial officers from such pressure.
Addressing a national conference on judicial reforms and the provision of speedy justice to the public in Islamabad, the CJP Afridi said, “District courts are the backbone of the justice system,” and called for stronger coordination between district courts and high courts.
CJ Afridi further added that the “Code of Conduct” had been amended to free judges from external pressure and stressed that the entire judiciary stood with judges to ensure their independence.
The chief justice said, “he is proud of the subordinate judiciary, noting that judicial officers are performing their responsibilities despite difficulties,” and further added that empowering subordinate court judges was a judicial objective aimed at securing public confidence.
“Public trust is not inherited; it is earned through integrity,” CJ Afridi said.
CJP Afridi said timely delivery of justice was essential and that the requirements of the judiciary would be met for a comprehensive justice system across the country. He also urged judicial officers to perform their duties honestly.
The chief justice said, “The rule of law is the need of the hour”, while stressing that ground realities must be understood for judicial reforms.
He said, “There has been a lack of coordination between the district judiciary and policymaking institutions, and a committee had been established to bring greater uniformity to the facilities and terms of service of judicial officers”.
CJ Afridi said that a decision had been taken to provide health insurance to judicial officers across Pakistan, saying medical insurance would be provided to employees of the judiciary across the country.
Read: CJP Afridi urges swift, effective justice
He said courts were being shifted to solar power and that better internet facilities and e-libraries would be provided to the judiciary. He also added that facilities including solar power, water, internet and services for women were being provided in the subordinate judiciary with the cooperation of provincial governments.
CJ Afridi said, “Work is continuing to provide basic facilities, including solar power, in all tehsils and districts of Balochistan,” and added that solar power, water and internet facilities have already been provided in 18 districts of the province, while the remaining districts would receive the facilities within a month, he added.
He added that facilities including solar power were available in Nangarparkar tehsil of Tharparkar. The chief justice also said that work was underway to provide facilitation centres for women and children.
He said, “More than Rs3 billion had been released this year under access to justice for improvements in the judiciary and in the past, only Rs900 million had been released over 20 years under the Access to Justice Programme”.
Read more: CJP reviews judicial reforms
CJ Afridi also paid tribute to judges who had sacrificed their lives in the line of duty.
During his address, the CJP Afridi stopped the audience from applauding, saying, “Under this roof, we are all judges here. We should conduct ourselves like judges.”
He said all institutions should fulfil their responsibilities in the best possible manner and urged young judges to ensure the delivery of justice in the best possible way. The judiciary’s needs would be addressed to establish a comprehensive justice system across the country, while emphasising the importance of the rule of law and timely justice, he added.
