ISLAMABAD: As a follow-up to the Nov 2 session held to develop the ‘National Jail Reform Policy’, Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi on Friday presided over an online meeting to review the progress on decisions taken earlier.

The CJP, who is also chairman of the National Judicial Automation Committee, stressed during the online meeting that all stakeholders, including the Lahore High Court (LHC), the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP), and the police and prisons departments, should facilitate the sub-committee.

The CJP also asked the relevant institutions to share their recommendations regarding improvements in the criminal justice system.

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The meeting was also attended by LHC Chief Justice Aalia Neelum, along with Justice Shams Mehmood Mirza, the administrative judge/monitoring judge of prisons in Pun­jab representing the LHC, former LHC judge Shabbar Raza Rizvi, secretaries of the home and prosecution departments, Punjab, inspectors general of police and prisons departments, Punjab, Aminah Qadir, a constitutional and human rights lawyer, PML-N Senator Ahad Khan Cheema, and PTI activist Khadija Shah.

Senator Cheema, a former bureaucrat, was initially arrested by NAB in 2018 following references of illegal assets and the Ashiana-i-Iqbal Housing scheme. He remained in jail until 2021 when the Supreme Court granted him bail. Later, he was acquitted of the charges in all cases filed against him.

Ms Shah, a fashion designer and granddaughter of former army chief Asif Nawaz Janjua, was arrested following the registration of cases reg­arding the May 9 riots against PTI le­­­aders and workers. She was relea­sed on bail in December last year.

During the online meeting, the CJP nominated Ms Qadir as coordinator to the sub-committee on jail reforms and directed that she, along with Mr Cheema and Ms Shah, as per the TORs of the committee, should visit the jails in Punjab to prepare a comprehensive report in consultation with other stakeholders of the criminal justice system.

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It was further directed that after completion, the report should be shared with Mr Rizvi, which will be placed before the committee in its upcoming meeting. The CJP also instructed the LJCP to provide full logistic support to the sub-committee members and expressed his resolve for full support in reforming the criminal justice system through law reforms.

Meanwhile, as part of the CJP’s commitment and vision to reform and improve the judicial system for the swift delivery of justice, Supre­­me Court Registrar Muhammad Salim Khan paid a visit to the Supreme Court building to inspect the institution branch, information desk, police front desk, and parking area to assess current processes and identify opportunities for systematic improvement.

The primary objective of this initiative is to streamline operations by reducing the average response time of each process to foster an efficient, transparent, and accountable framework that better serves the public and meets the needs of litigants.

The visit focused on analysing business processes and identifying areas where the service delivery system can be overhauled to ensure a more inclusive and accessible environment. Recognising the importance of accessible justice for all, he issued directions to implement sustainable measures that cater to all segments of society, especially disabled individuals and senior citizens who visit the Supreme Court to address their grievances.

During his visit, he engaged with litigants who were present for their cases and visited the Bar Room to speak with lawyers. These interactions provided valuable insights into the public’s experience and needs to make the judicial system more responsive and user-friendly.

The registrar said that these reform initiatives are designed to make the Supreme Court more accommodating to the needs of the public, thus enhancing trust and facilitating smoother access to justice. The Supreme Court administration is dedicated to implementing measures that uphold the highest standards of public service and accessibility for all citizens.-

Published in Dawn, November 16th, 2024