Senior Supreme Court judge Mansoor Ali Shah stated that some wrong judicial decisions cannot be justified and remain stains on the judiciary’s history.
Speaking at the opening session of the Asma Jahangir Conference in Lahore, Justice Shah expressed his dissatisfaction with the judiciary’s past, noting that it has drawn global criticism. He said that there’s often something that triggers negative reactions towards the judiciary.
Justice Shah revealed that 2.4 million cases are pending in Pakistan, placing the country at a low 130th rank globally. He noted that this is not a positive reflection and urged organizations to abandon individualism in favor of system-focused practices.
“Processes should prioritize the system over individuals. This approach ensures more transparency,” Justice Shah explained.
He also suggested reforms within the judiciary, advocating for a transparent method of appointing judges. “Judges who do not perform should be removed. Corruption within the judiciary must be completely eliminated,” he emphasized.
Justice Shah mentioned that 90% of pending cases are stuck in district courts, suggesting that the culture of referrals should end.
He stressed the need to adopt technology to manage the backlog of cases. “If we don’t integrate IT into our system, we will struggle to handle 2.4 million pending cases. The Supreme Judicial Council needs more power, and courts should have data analysis rooms,” he said.
