A delegation of senior civil servants from Bangladesh, currently visiting Pakistan under the Executive Development Programme at the National School of Public Policy, called on the Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahyah Afridi on Wednesday at the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
The visiting delegation was led by Farhan Aziz Kh, Rector, NSPP Pakistan and comprised Ms. Salma Siddiqua Mahtab, Additional Secretary; Mohammed Mostofa Jamal Haider, Joint Secretary; Md. Abu Rayhan Miah, Joint Secretary; Md. Firoz Ahmed, Joint Secretary; Mr. Mohammad Monirul Islam, Joint Secretary; Mr. Md. Toufik Imam, Joint Secretary; Mr. Md. Raihan Akhtar, Joint Secretary; Mr. A.F.M. Ehteshamul Hoque, Joint Secretary; Mr. Mohammad Shamsul Hoque, Joint Secretary; Mr. Muhammad Abdus Salam, Joint Secretary; Dr. Md. Zillur Rahman, Joint Secretary; and Mr. Zia Ahmed Suman, Joint Secretary.
Welcoming the delegation, the Chief Justice Justice Yahyah Afridi briefed the participants on Pakistan’s judicial system and the ongoing reform initiatives being undertaken by the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee and the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan. His Lordship underscored that the reform agenda is aimed at making the justice system citizen-centric, technology-enabled, transparent, and efficient through institutional modernization, digital integration, and coordinated governance interventions.
The delegation was briefed about key initiatives including e-filing, video-link hearings, digital dashboards, QR-coded certified copies, e-payments, standardized case categorization and fixation systems, online facilitation mechanisms, and the establishment of the Public Facilitation Centre as a one-window litigant service platform.
Justice Yahyah Afridi highlighted measures for reduction of case backlog through datadriven case management, strengthening of ADR, mediation and arbitration mechanisms, and development of specialized frameworks for tax, banking, and commercia litigation.
The Chief Justice further apprised the delegation of the role of the NJPMC in strengthening judicial policy coordination and improving justice sector governance, particularly at the district judiciary level. In this regard, His Lordship highlighted initiatives relating to solarization of court complexes, establishment of e-libraries, digital connectivity, women-friendly facilities, provision of clean drinking water, and capacitybuilding programmes for judges and lawyers.
The delegation was also briefed on the Gender-Responsive Justice Initiative (GRJI) 2026–27, under which Women Facilitation Centres are being established to provide integrated and accessible support services to women litigants under one roof.
Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Ms. Salma Siddiqua Mahtab, Additional Secretary and Group Leader, thanked the Chief Justice for the insightful interaction and appreciated the reform initiatives, particularly those aimed at women’s facilitation and citizen-centric justice delivery. Farhan Aziz Khawaja also briefed the Chief Justice on the Executive Development Programme being conducted for senior civil servants of Bangladesh.