Judiciary Exists to Serve the People; Bench and Bar Must Work Together: CJP Yahya Afridi
QUETTA: Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Afridi has said that the judiciary exists to serve the people and that the bench and bar must work together to bring about sustainable judicial reforms.
Addressing the inauguration ceremony of a newly constructed Public Facilitation Centre at the Balochistan High Court in Quetta, Justice Afridi said the centre would provide several services to litigants and lawyers and help make the delivery of justice faster and more accessible.
He expressed the desire to establish similar facilitation centres in every district and tehsil of Balochistan and said efforts were underway to establish such centres across the country.
Justice Afridi congratulated Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Kamran Khan Malakhail on establishing the centre, describing it as an important step toward transforming the justice system from a court-centered model into one focused on citizens.
He said the effective use of technology in the judicial system could make justice more accessible, efficient and responsive to the needs of litigants. However, he cautioned that technology should not be considered a substitute for reforms.
“Technology is not reform itself; it is a means, while justice is the ultimate objective,” he said, emphasizing that modern technology should be used to make justice faster, transparent, effective and people-friendly.
The chief justice said the Public Facilitation Centre would provide prompt and effective services to litigants and lawyers, making access to the justice system easier.
He said the National Judicial Policy Making Committee was taking measures across the country to improve judicial facilities and make the justice system more accessible to ordinary citizens.
Justice Afridi said future facilitation centres would also focus on basic public needs, including uninterrupted solar power, high-speed internet, dedicated and dignified spaces for women litigants and clean drinking water.
Bench and Bar Cooperation Essential
The Chief Justice of Pakistan described cooperation between the judiciary and the legal community as essential for meaningful judicial reforms.
He said the legal community was an important stakeholder in improving the justice system and that sustainable reforms could not succeed without collective efforts by the bench and bar.
Justice Afridi emphasized that the judiciary was neither a distant nor isolated institution but had been established to serve the people. He said the justice system must continuously evolve according to citizens’ needs.
Paying tribute to martyred District and Sessions Judge Abdul Hakim Kakar and 54 lawyers who lost their lives, Justice Afridi said the sacrifices of members of the legal profession represented the moral foundation of the rule of law in Pakistan.
He said the best way to pay tribute to the martyrs of August 8 was to continue their struggle and take practical steps to ensure justice for the people.
Facilitation Centre to Provide One-Window Judicial Services
Balochistan High Court Chief Justice Muhammad Kamran Khan Malakhail said the Facilitation Centre had been established to ensure access to justice and provide basic facilities to litigants.
He said an effective centre had been completed within just six months, where litigants and lawyers would receive legal assistance and guidance on various matters.
Those seeking to file a case or requiring information and assistance regarding an ongoing case would be able to use the centre, he said.
Justice Malakhail added that various judicial services would be available to litigants, lawyers and the general public at a single location.
He further said security SOPs had been established to ensure the safety of judges, lawyers, litigants and other relevant individuals. Since the Facilitation Centre had been established for the public, litigants and lawyers, he stressed the need to maintain discipline and follow the prescribed procedures.
