Daily Times

LAHORE:  Speakers at a virtual conference have stressed the need to utilize information technology for introducing an online judicial system in order to provide justice to the people under the prevailing circumstances. They were addressing a virtual conference jointly organized by Punjab University and Institute for Legal Research and Advocacy (ILRA) here at New Campus here on Thursday.

Senior Vice President Supreme Court Bar Association Chaudhry Ghulam Murtaza advocate, Punjab Judicial Academy Trainer and veteran lawyer Zafar Iqbal Kalanauri, PU Law College’s Prof Dr Amanullah Malik, ILRA Chairman Syed Shahbaz Bukhari advocate and a large number of lawyers and people from various walks of life participated in the conference. Addressing the conference, Chaudhry Ghulam Murtaza advocate said that e-filing of court cases and presenting arguments through a video link was possible and such practice also existed in Supreme Court in some selected cases.

He said that however, under the prevailing situation of lockdown, this system should be implemented in all courts as ‘justice delayed was justice denied’. He said that an online judicial system could be introduced and implemented by taking all stake-holders into confidence.  Mr Zafar Iqbal Kalanauri advocate said that people were facing problems of very serious nature in court cases due to lockdown. He said that the real problem was that we had all the resources to resolve such problems with the help of technology but we were not getting a benefit of information technology.

He said that through minor amendments in rules, the online judicial system could be introduced and implemented and it was the call of the time. He said that an online judicial system would also be environment friendly and a minimum quantity of paper would be used. Prof Dr Amanullah Malik said that the judicial system could not be brought to a halt due to its specific nature.

He said that there was a need to introduce reforms to cope with the current challenges.  ILRA Chairman Syed Shahbaz Bukhari said that the resources to make the judicial system online were available and there was a need to take appropriate measures in this regard. He said that ILRA would provide free training to judicial officers, lawyers and other related staff for introducing an online judicial system. He said that an online judicial system would also help reduce financial problems being faced by the lawyers and their para-legal staff.