CJP Yahya Afridi calls for reforms in family, criminal laws

• LJCP meeting appreciates proposed amendments to family laws to expedite dispute resolution
• In AJDF meeting, chief justice reviews performance and funding for judicial infrastructure

ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi on Friday presided over the meeting of Law and Justice Com­mission of Pakistan (LJCP) and underscored the imp­ortance of legal reforms, particularly in the Code of Criminal Procedure and Family Laws.

He emphasised that these reforms are crucial to ensure that the justice system remains relevant and effective in addressing the evolving needs of society. Such reforms, he noted, will help streamline legal processes, protect citizens’ rights, and promote fairness and justice in the dispensation of justice.

The meeting was attended by Chief Justice of the Federal Shariat Court, chief justices of the all the high courts, the Attorney General for Pakistan, the Secretary of the Ministry of Law and Justice, and Interim Chairperson of the National Commission on the Status of Women. Senior advocates of the Supreme Court, Khawaja Haris Ahmed, Ka­mran Murtaza, and Muham­mad Munir Paracha, also participated.

The commission appreciated the proposed legislative amendments to the family laws and acknowledged that these amendments would facilitate early resolution of family disputes and improve the service delivery of family courts. It also emphasised the need to amend the Qanoon-i-Shahadat Order, 1984 to ensure the admissibility of evidence obtained through modern devices and technologies.

The commission discussed the issue of conflicting judgements on similar subjects and observed that such inconsistencies create confusion and undermine the principle of precedent, which subordinate courts are required to follow.

It also reviewed the draft LJCP Em­­p­loyees (Terms and Conditions of Ser­v­ice) Rules, 2025, and constituted a committee comprising the Hon’ble Chief Justice of the Islam­abad High Court and Mr Muhammad Munir Para­cha, senior advocate of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and member of the commission, to review the proposed rules and submit its report to the commission.

AJDF governing body meeting

Earlier, the CJP, who is also the chairman of the governing body of the Access to Justice Develop­ment Fund (AJDF), chai­red the 21st meeting of the governing body. The body reviewed the fund’s overall performance, implementation status of previous decisions, and funds released under various windows.

The governing body was informed that since the inception of the AJDF in 2005, Rs904.7 million had been released to the high courts for the infrastructure development of the district judiciary and Rs166.5m for the execution of special project in under-developed districts.

However, during the last 14 months — from July 2024 to September 2025, the fund recorded a substantial surge in activity, disbursing Rs1,462.3 million for infrastructure development and the provisions of court-related amenities for litigants, lawyers and judicial officers.

Similarly, Rs151m was released for the under-developed districts. This remarkable increase in fund releases reflects renewed momentum in supporting judicial infrastructure across the country.

Published in media, October 18th, 2025