CJP Afridi Says District Courts Build Public Trust

Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi has stressed that public trust in the justice system is built first in the district courts, where most citizens encounter the law, seek relief and judge whether institutions are working for them.

District courts at the centre of reform

Speaking at the national conference titled From Reform to Recognition: Building a Responsive District Judiciary, Justice Afridi said the lower courts should not be treated as the overlooked end of the justice system. They are, in practical terms, the place where the public forms its first and strongest impression of judicial fairness.

His message was aimed not only at judges and court administrators, but also at those who assess Pakistan's rule-of-law performance from outside the country. He urged Rule of Law Index monitors to recognise improvements in court infrastructure, working conditions and institutional support that are taking place at the grassroots level.

The Rs3.4 billion reform push

Justice Afridi said around Rs3.4 billion had been disbursed in one year for facilities and improvements across courts in Pakistan. The measures highlighted at the conference included solarisation, e-libraries, better internet connectivity, improved access to water and facilities designed to make courts more accessible for women who work in or visit court premises.

These are not abstract upgrades. In many districts, basic facilities can decide whether a court works efficiently or becomes another source of hardship for litigants, lawyers and staff. Better infrastructure can reduce delays, improve record handling and make the court experience less intimidating for citizens who may already be dealing with difficult disputes.

Support for judicial officers

The Chief Justice also said a decision had been made to provide health insurance to judicial officers across Pakistan. That step was presented as part of a wider effort to improve the institutional environment in which judges perform their duties, especially in remote or underserved areas where working conditions can be demanding.

Justice Afridi linked the wellbeing of judicial officers with the credibility of the justice system. Judges in district courts handle heavy caseloads, sensitive disputes and intense public pressure. If the institution expects independence, competence and integrity from them, it also has to provide conditions that allow them to work professionally.

Trust is earned through experience

A central theme of the address was that public confidence cannot be built through slogans. It is strengthened when citizens experience fairness, competence and compassion in real cases. For many people, that experience begins at the district level, not in the superior courts that dominate national headlines.

The Chief Justice said courts must create an environment in which judges can perform their constitutional and legal responsibilities with independence and responsibility. That point is important because public trust depends on more than faster case disposal. Citizens also need to believe that decisions are made fairly and that the court is not beyond their reach.

High courts outline their own work

Chief Justices from the Islamabad High Court, Lahore High Court, Sindh High Court, Peshawar High Court, Balochistan High Court and Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Court also addressed the conference. They described steps being taken in their jurisdictions to improve judicial administration, modernise facilities and expand access to justice.

The discussion covered legislative changes, digital transformation and institutional reforms aimed at making courts more responsive. These efforts matter because Pakistan's justice challenges are not identical in every region. A reform that improves access in a major city may not solve the problems faced by a remote district, so provincial and regional experiences are an important part of the national picture.

Recognition for performance

The conference also included commendation awards for high-performing judges and officers from across Pakistan. The awards were framed as recognition of professional excellence and a reminder that reform is carried not only by policies, but by the people who make institutions function every day.

That recognition fits with the broader message of the event. District courts are often discussed in terms of backlog and delay, but the Chief Justice's remarks placed equal emphasis on infrastructure, independence, professionalism and public service. The reforms being highlighted are meant to make courts more useful to citizens and more credible as institutions.

For Pakistan's justice system, the test will be whether these improvements are felt by people who come to court seeking timely and fair relief. If the reforms reach ordinary litigants, the district judiciary can become a stronger foundation for public trust in the rule of law.