Islamabad: A top delegation from Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) spent two hours with Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi during a meeting which they expressed multiple issues about judicial transformations and political proceedings alongside the current treatment of opposition leaders and their supporters.
The Chief Justice hosted the meeting at his residence to conduct a stakeholder evaluation of judicial reforms through Supreme Court outreach efforts. Opposition Leader Omar Ayub brought together PTI party members Shibli Faraz and Barrister Gohar Ali Khan as well as Barrister Ali Zafar while Barrister Salman Akram Raja together with Latif Khosa and Dr. Babar Awan made up the delegation.
The meeting started with Chief Justice Afridi inviting the PTI delegates, and then he explained the plan for the National Judicial Policy Making Committee session to them. The Prime Minister provided the Chief Justice with a guarantee of complete support for policy formulation together with implementation efforts. The Chief Justice declared pending tax case resolution together with court backlog reduction as his primary focus points.
Key Points Discussed:
- Judicial Reforms: Chief Justice Afridi proposed that judicial reforms should be treated as a minimum national agenda, requiring bipartisan support.
- Political Cases: Omar Ayub raised concerns about the scheduling of multiple cases against opposition leaders and workers at the same time, making it impossible for them to appear in court. He also highlighted the harassment of lawyers representing PTI and the filing of terrorism cases against them.
- Rule of Law: Ayub stressed that economic stability depends on the rule of law and called for the judiciary to hold the executive accountable.
- Feedback on Reforms: The Chief Justice shared that feedback from bar councils, district judiciary, and the public had been received, with input from high courts and provincial judicial academies expected soon.
PTI’s Recommendations:
- Barrister Ali Zafar requested additional time to respond to the proposed policy recommendations.
- The delegation presented valuable suggestions for improving the criminal justice system and expediting the resolution of civil cases.
Supreme Court’s Assurance:
The Chief Justice assured the delegation that addressing pending cases, particularly tax-related matters, was a top priority. He also acknowledged the need for judicial reforms to ensure timely justice and accountability.
The meeting underscored the importance of judicial reforms as a national priority and highlighted the challenges faced by the opposition in accessing justice. The PTI delegation expressed hope that the judiciary would play its role in ensuring the rule of law and holding the executive accountable for economic recovery.
