Staff Report
Peshawar: A meeting of the Global Connect Forum (GCF) was held today in Peshawar, focusing on one of Pakistan’s most pressing challenges: the massive pendency of cases in the courts.
Participants engaged in an in-depth discussion, sharing diverse perspectives on the scale and root causes of judicial backlog in the country. The forum was informed that more than 2.4 million cases remain pending at various levels of Pakistan’s judicial system. Alarmingly, about 82% of these cases are stuck at the district judiciary level, while the Supreme Court alone faces a backlog of around 57,347 cases, according to the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan.
Speakers highlighted that despite various measures such as increasing the number of judicial officers, recruiting more court staff, and introducing new laws and courts the backlog remains stubbornly high. These steps have so far failed to make a significant dent in the pendency, providing little relief to ordinary litigants who continue to suffer from prolonged delays.
The forum’s research shed light on how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming judicial systems globally. Although the concept of fully autonomous “robot judges” is still far from mainstream, AI is already streamlining administrative and analytical functions in courts worldwide. A notable example is China’s “Internet Courts,” which use AI to resolve disputes related to online transactions, e-commerce, intellectual property, and digital finance. These courts handle digital case registration, conduct online hearings, and even generate AI-assisted judgments all under human supervision — significantly speeding up case resolution, with some cases concluded within an average of 40 days.
Countries like the United States, United Kingdom, European Union, and Russia are also making significant strides in integrating AI into their justice systems to improve efficiency, transparency, and accessibility.
Participants agreed that embracing technology and AI could bring a similar revolution to Pakistan’s judicial system. They emphasized the need to minimize human discretion which can lead to misuse and to adopt automated, data-driven processes to ensure merit-based and timely decisions.
The forum highlighted three priority areas for reform:
• Reducing Delays and Quick Disposal: By modernizing case management and utilizing real-time data analytics, AI can help predict delays and offer solutions.
• Ensuring Continuous Dispensation of Justice: The forum noted that lengthy court vacations significantly hamper case disposal. It proposed limiting these vacations to just 15 days per year, at the discretion of the relevant judge or staff member, to address the severe backlog.
• Building Public Confidence: Greater automation and transparency would restore faith in the judiciary as an institution committed to timely justice for all.
In conclusion, the forum urged policymakers to develop a five-year roadmap aimed at adopting AI and automation in Pakistan’s courts. The goal is to ensure that by 2030, the country’s judicial system can leverage cutting-edge technology to deliver swift, fair, and efficient justice finally addressing the issue of millions of pending cases and fulfilling the promise of timely relief to the people.
