ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Monday stressed the need for bringing reforms in the judicial system and asked the federal government to answer the issues raised in a petition seeking fresh rules for lower courts to decide suits, petitions and appeals within a stipulated time limit.

The bench, comprising Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, Justice Umar Ata Bandial and Justice Ijazul Ahsan, observed that legislation was not the judiciary’s job but of the government.

The court was hearing a joint petition moved by lawyers — Umeer Ijaz Gilani, Attaullah Hakeem Kundi, Mohammad Haider Imtiaz, Raheel Ahmed and Hadiya Aziz. They had sought a reply from the federal government within a period of three weeks. The petition requests the court to direct the national judiciary policy makers to revise the National Judicial Policy, including a policy on delay reduction, based upon scientific assessment of the present state of affairs and its causes, and submit the same to the apex court.

In their appeal, the lawyers said they were personally aggrieved by the lack of enforcement of the fundamental right of access to justice and the loss of reputation of the judicial system in the eyes of the people of Pakistan due to delays in dispensation of justice.

The petition urges the Supreme Court to order the federal and provincial governments to submit reports on the total number of pending cases, including suits, petitions, appeals and revisions.

Published in Dawn, February 20th, 2018