CJP Afridi calls for enhanced district, high courts coordination

Islamabad (Web Desk): Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi on Saturday said the country’s judiciary would stand united in supporting judges and protecting them from any form of outside influence.

Addressing the National Conference, “From Reform to Recognition: Building a Responsive District Judiciary,” in Islamabad, the CJP said the performance and sacrifices of judicial officers serving in some of the country’s most distant and difficult areas should also be properly recognised.

He said revisions had been made to the judicial code of conduct to provide judges greater protection against external pressure while also helping restore and strengthen public confidence in the judiciary.

CJP Afridi described district courts as the foundation of the justice system and said strengthening district-level judges and enabling them to earn the trust of citizens was one of the judiciary’s key priorities.

Expressing confidence in the district judiciary, he said, “I am proud of my district judiciary,” while acknowledging that judicial officers continued to carry out their duties despite working under challenging circumstances.

He called upon all institutions to fulfil their respective responsibilities efficiently and advised young judges to focus on delivering justice to the best of their abilities.

The CJP also stressed the need for stronger cooperation between district courts and high courts to improve the overall functioning of the judicial system.

Discussing steps being taken to modernise and improve district courts, CJP Afridi said facilities such as solar energy, internet access, clean water and e-libraries were being introduced with the assistance of provincial governments.

He said efforts were also underway to ensure the availability of essential facilities, particularly solar power, in every tehsil and district of Balochistan.

According to the CJP, 18 districts of Balochistan had already been equipped with solar power, water and internet facilities, while similar facilities would be extended to the remaining districts within a month.

He further announced that health insurance coverage would also be provided to judicial officers following a decision in this regard.

CJP Afridi revealed that over Rs3 billion had been released this year for judicial development and improvement. He compared this figure with the Rs900 million released over a period of 20 years under the Access to Justice Programme.

Paying tribute to judges who had lost their lives while serving the cause of justice, the CJP said their sacrifices reflected the importance of upholding the rule of law, which, he stressed, was urgently needed in the country.