The Supreme Court\u2019s recent review of its IT reform agenda is a welcome nod to technology\u2019s role in accelerating justice. Reports suggest the court is modernising operations with e-filing, case-management systems, and digitised records to boost efficiency and openness. The National Judicial Automation Committee (NJAC), reconstituted last year, has likewise pledged to digitalise processes, launch mobile apps, and even explore AI for service delivery. These initiatives rightly acknowledge that Pakistan\u2019s traditional judicial delays demand technological solutions.
\nYet, serious gaps persist. Public warnings abound about \u201cpersistent challenges\u201d in branch registries, where local courts often lack adequate IT support, underscoring a broader reality. Our courts are buried under an enormous backlog: some 2.26 million pending cases nationwide, 82% at the district level. Ordinary civil cases drag on for years-one study found an average resolution time of nearly four years and 40 hearings per case. With roughly one judge per 62,000 citizens, the system desperately needs smarter case management. Digital tools, from e-courts to real-time tracking, can trim delays, but only if backed by reliable broadband, servers, and rigorous training. The e-courts launched during COVID-19 hinted at potential all the while highlighting the limits of piecemeal tech pilots.
\nHighlighting the potential of e-filing, QR-coded judgments, expanded video-link hearings, and a citizen-feedback portal, Chief Justice Afridi rightly cautioned that the \u201cdigital divide\u201d and weak legal\/security frameworks still limit these gains. In practice, many rural litigants lack internet or computers, and illiteracy often bars online form use.
\nA modern judiciary also requires modern governance. The Supreme Court has rightly stressed the urgent need to revamp its IT directorate and pilot a fully digital E-Office system. New systems are useless if judges and clerks aren\u2019t trained, or if staff cannot maintain them. A comprehensive framework is needed, encompassing cybersecurity, clear rules on e-signatures, AI use and continuous collaboration.
\nTo turn promise into reality, the courts must adopt a multi-pronged approach that focuses on upgrading infrastructure nationwide and fast-tracking legal support, strengthening electronic transaction ordinances and judicial rules for clear legitimacy and privacy. Simply computerising without rethinking old processes risks locking inefficiency into new systems.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The Supreme Court\u2019s recent review of its IT reform agenda is a welcome nod to technology\u2019s role in accelerating justice. Reports suggest the court is modernising operations with e-filing, case-management systems, and digitised records to boost efficiency and openness. The National Judicial Automation Committee (NJAC), reconstituted last year, has likewise pledged to digitalise processes, launch […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-484652","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-editorial"},"yoast_head":"\n