Prime Minster Imran Khan is committed to digitalise Pakistan’s judicial processes for the modernisation of the judicial system in Pakistan. Government shall facilitate the development of next generation of justice portal for the establishment of e-courts, said Barrister Ali Zafar on Friday.
He was speaking at the ceremony organised by Supreme Court Bar Association of Pakistan to discuss how the judiciary and the bar should deal with Covid-19.
He added that because of healthcare implications courts were shut down, which was a necessary decision in the prevailing circumstance. However, he said, we cannot keep people from accessing justice because of the consistent threat posed by coronavirus. Therefore, barrister Ali argued, we need to think out of the box and introduce digitalisation of legal processes as a long-term solution.
To accomplish this task Barrister Zafar, floated the idea of “Next Generation Justice Platform, which will introduce various forms of ‘e-court’ – audio hearings (largely by telephone), video hearings (for example, by Skype and Zoom), and paper hearings (decisions delivered on the basis of paper submissions).
This modern approach to judicial system will also solve the long-term issue of delays for which judges and lawyers both are criticised.
To begin with, Barrister Zafar suggested, establishing online courts at the District and High Courts level.
“I know this is a long-term process and would require a considerable time and energy for complete implementation, however, we have to start somewhere and this is the time to begin it. We need to immediately initiate the process where the Courts can at least hear witness statements and arguments online.”
Barrister Zafar also said that the digitalisation of judicial system would also benefit police and the quasi-judicial authorities. He requested Mr. Justice Mushir Alam, Hon’ble Judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to form a committee consisting of all the stakeholders in the legal fraternity from the Supreme Court to the Attorney General Office to oversee the development and implementation of the Next Generation Portal and e-courts.
All the stakeholders had agreed to join hands and make these changes happen.
He concluded by saying that since our system is out of place and time, to overhaul it we need to bring in technological reforms in line with the advanced and modern judicial system in the world. According to Barrister Zafar the government and all other stakeholders are on the same page in this regard.
