ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court has continued to strengthen judicial cooperation with the People’s Republic of China and Turkiye through sustained engagement, as well as institutional and strategic partnerships, in a bid to adva­n­­ce its vision of a modern, technology-enabled and globally connected judiciary.

In this regard, the signing of a Mem­o­randum of Understanding (MoU) with the Supreme People’s Court of China in August 2025 marked an important milestone in this journey, establishing a formal framework for judicial exchange, technology integration, capacity-building, and cooperation in emerging areas of law.

In an announcement, it explained that the participation of a high-level judicial delegation including the district and sessions judge, Gwadar, and a lady senior civil judge from Lakki Marwat in the 20th Conference of Chief Justices of SCO Member States in Hangzhou (April 2025) laid the foundation for deeper institutional linkages.

These initial engagements have since evolved into technical cooperation, structured training programmes and reciprocal visits, reflecting a deliberate shift from symbolic interaction to practical and impactful collaboration.

Focus on district judiciary, tech integration drives global partnerships

Engagement with China has been particularly robust, encompassing participation in high-level judicial conferences, specialised training programmes and structured nominations to SCO-related judicial forums.

A defining feature of this collaboration is the deliberate inclusion of top-performing judges from the district judiciary, particularly those serving in remote and underserved areas. This approach reflects a strategic focus on strengthening judicial capacity at the grassroots level, ensuring that international best practices are internalised where they matter most, at the level of trial courts.

This inclusive approach is further reflected in targeted exposure and capacity-building initiatives. The district and sessions judge, Ghotki, along with the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association, participated in the 9th China-South Asia Legal Training Programme in Shanghai (May 2025). This was followed by the participation of a Court Associate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan in the 8th China-AALCO Exchange and Research Programme on International Law in Beijing (July 2025).

Further expanding this engagement, another delegation led by the Chief Justice of the High Court of Balochistan, including a lady Additional Sessions Judge from Quetta and a Senior Civil Judge from Mithi (Tharparkar), is scheduled to participate in the Forum of Justices of Local Courts of China-SCO countries in July 2026. In addition, a top-performing lady senior civil judge from Bannu and a senior civil judge from Dera Ghazi Khan have been nominated for the 10th China-South Asia Legal Training Course in Shanghai (May 2026).

Complementing judicial exchanges, a specialised delegation of IT officers from the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the high courts is scheduled to visit the Supreme People’s Court of China in Beijing (July 2026). This visit aims to gain first-hand insight into technology integration and digital transformation in judicial processes, particularly the use of artificial intelligence, further reinforcing Pakistan’s reform-oriented agenda.

These developments reaffirm that the MoU is a living instrument, actively driving judicial capacity, institutional innovation and cross-jurisdictional learning. The Supreme Court of Pakistan remains steadfast in its commitment to further strengthening this partnership, recognising that meaningful judicial cooperation is essential to addressing the complex and evolving demands of contemporary justice systems.

Likewise, the signing of another MoU with the Constitutional Court of Turkiye in April 2026 marks a significant step in formalising this collaboration, providing a structured platform for judicial exchange, technology integration and joint capacity-building initiatives.

This engagement is rooted in sustained judicial interaction at the highest level. Participation of a high-level judicial delegation in the 63rd anniversary of the Cons­­titutional Court of Turkiye (April 2025) laid the groundwork for deeper ins­titutional cooperation. This was followed by the reciprocal visit of a distinguished delegation led by the president of the Constitutional Court of Turkiye to Pakis­tan in April 2026, reinforcing mutual commitment to long-term collaboration.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2026