ISLAMABAD (Web Desk) – Pakistan's National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee (NJPMC), chaired by the Chief Justice of Pakistan, has granted in-principle approval to the National Judicial Reform Framework, a major initiative aimed at promoting evidence-based judicial reforms and improving the country's justice system.
The decision was taken during the 61st meeting of the NJPMC held at the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
According to an official statement, the framework has been aligned with the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index and is designed to strengthen access to justice, transparency, accountability, and predictability within Pakistan's judicial system.
The reform framework introduces measurable performance indicators and incorporates internationally recognised standards to assess and improve judicial performance.
Chief justices of all high courts attended the meeting, while the Federal Minister for Law and Justice, the Secretary of the Ministry of Law and Justice, and representatives of the Pakistan Bar Council and the Supreme Court Bar Association participated as special invitees.
Under the approved framework, high courts will be able to adopt the National Judicial Reform Framework and the International Framework for Court Excellence (IFCE) Self-Assessment Checklist. They will also establish a quarterly monitoring and reporting mechanism to review progress on judicial reforms.
The Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP) and the Ministry of Law and Justice will establish a dedicated implementation cell to oversee the reforms. Progress on implementation will be reviewed at the committee's next meeting scheduled for October 8, 2026.
The Law and Justice Commission Secretariat will identify and validate rule of law indicators, which will be incorporated into the National Judicial Analytics Dashboard in phases. In collaboration with the National Information Technology Board (NITB), the Secretariat will also develop a dedicated technology platform to monitor reform progress and generate regular performance reports.
The platform will support capacity-building initiatives and enable annual assessments of Pakistan's performance in the World Justice Project Rule of Law Index. These reviews will identify institutional strengths, highlight shortcomings, and recommend further reforms.
The committee said future judicial reforms would be driven by evidence, measurable outcomes, and international best practices, with the goal of enhancing institutional performance and strengthening public confidence in the justice system.
The meeting also reviewed progress on the proposed Commission on Enforced Disappearances. The Federal Minister for Law and Justice briefed participants, stating that the names of former Supreme Court judges are under consideration to head the proposed commission and that its formation and rules of procedure will be finalised soon.
The NJPMC welcomed the government's progress and stressed the need for strict compliance with the legal requirement of producing arrested individuals before a competent court within the prescribed time.
Reaffirming its commitment to judicial reform, institutional coordination, and improved access to justice, the committee said innovation, technology, and evidence-based governance would play a central role in making Pakistan's justice system more efficient and responsive.