GILGIT: A virtual customs court has been inaugurated at the Sost Dry Port to deal with customs-related cases.

Litigants were facing difficulties to access the customs court in Gilgit and had to travel about 200 kilometres from the Sost town near Khunjerab Pass to the city.

The virtual court was inaugurated by Banking and Customs Court Judge Ghulam Abbas Chopa.

The event was attended by Collector Customs Sost Port Shahid Jan, senior customs, judicial officials and customs staff.

On the occasion, the hearing of two pending cases was also conducted through video link.

Objective of court is to provide prompt and effective justice to business community, judge says

Addressing the ceremony, Judge Chopa said the present era is the era of modern technology in which traditional and outdated systems have lost their usefulness, while the world has taken the form of a global village.

He said that in view of the changing circumstances and increasing legal needs, the use of modern technology has become indispensable for the prompt, transparent and effective provision of justice.

He said that the main objective of establishing the virtual customs court at Sost Port was to provide cheap, prompt and effective justice to the business community, people associated with import and export business between Pakistan and China through Khunjerab Pass and customs staff posted at the Sost Port in customs-related cases at their doorsteps.

The judge clarified that under this virtual system, legal steps like physical and judicial remand of accused, production of documents related to cases, submission of response to the claim and registration of evidence can e completed through video link, which will not require a long and arduous journey to Gilgit city.

He said that the initiative will not only eliminate weather and travel difficulties but will also reduce the causes of delay in the court proceedings and will help in timely decisions of cases.

Speaking on the occasion, Collector Customs Shahid Jan thanked the judge for opening the virtual banking and customs court at Sost Port.

He said that the establishment of the virtual court will solve an important administrative and legal problem related to the remand of the accused in customs cases, timely provision of documents and recording of statements.

He said that under this system, customs officials will be relieved from the long, expensive and difficult travel stages for remand, which will not only save valuable time but will also significantly reduce the unnecessary financial burden on the national exchequer.

The collector customs expressed the hope that this system of virtual customs court will play an effective and positive role in the immediate provision of justice, transparency, institutional management and improvement of legal process in the future.

Published in Dawn, December 22nd, 2025