PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court Chief Justice SM Attique Shah has said that a cell has been set up at the high court to oversee the implementation of a recent larger bench judgment about improving the criminal justice system.

He stated this while addressing a daylong Training of Trainers programme organised here by the PHC on ‘reforming the criminal justice system’.

The programme brought together judicial officers, prosecutors, investigators, and key justice-sector stakeholders for a comprehensive consultative session aimed at strengthening institutional coordination and enhancing the delivery of criminal justice in light of the judgment delivered by the high court’s larger bench in Asifullah versus the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government case.

In his keynote address, Chief Justice Shah expressed satisfaction that all stakeholders had assembled on a single platform to deliberate upon the implementation of the larger bench judgment identifying systemic shortcomings in the criminal justice framework.

He emphasised that institutional weaknesses had developed gradually and must be addressed through collective responsibility and coordinated reform.

He informed the participants that an implementation cell had been established at the high court and that structured oversight mechanisms, including district-level supervision of malkhanas (store house) by district and sessions judges, would be introduced to prevent misuse of case property.

Noting the low conviction rate of 7-8 per cent, the chief justice identified false FIRs (by complainants), exaggerated allegations, and defective investigations as key contributing factors and stressed zero tolerance for inefficiency.

The high court’s larger bench had last month released a comprehensive 149-page judgment identifying loopholes in the criminal justice system and also putting forward multiple directives and recommendations for the key stakeholders, including provincial law and home department, police, prosecution, health, lawyers and judiciary.

In his closing remarks, senior high court judge Justice Arshad Ali described the judgment as a product of collective wisdom of all stakeholders and highlighted the need for standardised operating procedures and improved coordination among institutions.

Justice Ali termed the programme the first step in a sustained reform process and announced that follow-up meetings, specialised committees, and standardised SOPs would be developed to ensure effective implementation of the judgment.

Justice Sahibzada Asadullah and Justice Ijaz Ahmad underscored the importance of independent judicial application of mind, effective investigation, proactive prosecutorial oversight, and faithful implementation of the judgment in both letter and spirit.

During the interactive session, participants identified practical reform measures and institutional solutions, shared their perspectives on the judgment, and emphasised the need for enhanced coordination and collective initiatives to ensure its effective and sustained implementation.

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2026