Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Afridi chaired the 47th [1] meeting of the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan on Monday.
The session focuses on advancing law reform to ensure the judicial system remains accessible to all citizens regardless of their location or status. This initiative aims to align national legal practices with constitutional mandates that guarantee fair treatment under the law.
Presiding as the chairman of the commission, Justice Afridi led deliberations at the Supreme Court in Islamabad [2]. The meeting centered on proposals for systemic law reform and the reaffirmation of the constitutional guarantee of equal access to justice across the country [3, 4].
"We must ensure equal access to justice across the country," Justice Afridi said [5].
The commission is tasked with strengthening the institutional capacity of the judiciary to handle legal challenges more efficiently. A spokesperson for the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan said the body will continue to work on improving access to justice and strengthening institutional capacity [6].
In a separate administrative development, the Chief Justice bid farewell to the secretary of the Law and Justice Commission. The outgoing secretary had served a deputation period of one year [7].
The commission's efforts involve reviewing existing legal frameworks to remove bottlenecks that prevent citizens from obtaining timely legal remedies. By addressing these hurdles, the commission seeks to reduce the backlog of cases, and improve the overall transparency of the legal process in Pakistan.
“"We must ensure equal access to justice across the country."”
The focus on 'equal access to justice' suggests a push to decentralize legal resources and reduce the disparity between urban legal hubs and rural areas. By prioritizing institutional capacity, the Pakistani judiciary is attempting to address systemic inefficiencies that often lead to prolonged litigation and delayed justice for the general population.
