ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry has said the judiciary is facing new challenges due to technological advancements and the resulting changes in people’s behaviour.

Presiding over a meeting of the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP) here on Sunday, he said the existing laws were too old-fashioned to deal effectively with the emerging situation.

“We are in an evolutionary period where, with each passing day, our judicial system is confronted with new challenges posed by the changing social values. Our existing procedural laws are old-fashioned and incapable to respond to various situations and expectations.”

Chief Justice Chaudhry said the rapid advancements of the internet, technological devices and change in social behaviour had raised new challenges which required new legislation and simplification of existing laws.

He was of the view that legal reform was a multi-dimensional subject as it involved reforms in the administration of justice as well as procedural changes in the laws to address the changing needs of the time.

Opposition to reforms was natural in a society but the ones which were capable of debating and discussing contentious issues succeeded eventually.

The chief justice said the justice system needed to be constantly updated to keep pace with the constant evolution of modern society and ensure substantial, inexpensive and speedy justice as enshrined in the constitution.

He said the LJCP had been mandated to keep under review the statutes and other laws of the country with a view to making recommendations to federal and provincial governments for improvement, modernisation and reform thereof.

The commission was required to send recommendations to the government for reforms in the system of administration of justice to ensure inexpensive and expeditious dispensation of justice.

The commission had so far approved 126 reports on law reforms and had submitted the same to the government for implementation, he added.—APP