ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Yahya Afridi recently revealed that judges in China were taken aback by the sheer number of pending cases in Pakistan's judicial system. Sharing insights from his official visit to China, the Chief Justice noted that the contrast between the two countries’ legal frameworks was stark, especially in terms of case resolution.
Justice Afridi led a five-member Pakistani judicial delegation to the 20th Conference of Chief Justices of the Supreme Courts of Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Member States, held in Hangzhou, China. The delegation was received with great warmth and hospitality by the hosts.
Speaking to reporters after his return, the CJP highlighted the impressive efficiency of China’s judiciary. He explained that both Pakistan and China follow a four-tier judicial structure. However, while China’s Supreme People’s Court is composed of 367 judges and has managed to clear all pending cases, Pakistan continues to grapple with a large judicial backlog.
He said that Chinese judges expressed surprise upon learning of the backlog Pakistan’s courts are facing. When asked by their Chinese counterparts about how Pakistan intends to resolve the situation, Justice Afridi candidly replied, “We’ve come to you to learn how to tackle these cases.” He emphasized that embracing modern technology to streamline case management is one of the key strategies Pakistan is exploring.
In addition to his interactions with the Chinese judiciary, Justice Afridi also engaged in a significant but confidential discussion with judges from India. While describing these interactions as highly meaningful, he refrained from disclosing specific details, stating that they would be addressed in upcoming diplomatic and judicial dialogues.
On the sidelines of the SCO conference, Justice Afridi also met with the Chief Justice of Iran, further reinforcing regional judicial collaboration and dialogue.
The Pakistani delegation included Justice Amin-ud-Din Khan and Justice Shahid Waheed of the Supreme Court, as well as two distinguished members of the district judiciary: Mr. Zafar Jan, District and Sessions Judge from Gwadar, Balochistan's remotest district, and Ms. Nadia Gul Wazir, Senior Civil Judge from Lakki Marwat, a remote area in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
The visit highlighted Pakistan's commitment to learning from international best practices and seeking innovative solutions to longstanding challenges within its own judicial system.
