PREVIOUS JUDICIAL CONFERENCES
1st National Judicial Conference
Holding of Judicial Conference is recurring annual event which provides a permanent forum to the stakeholders of justice sector to discuss the issues and problems confronting the legal and judicial systems of the country and make recommendations for its reform. The first National Judicial Conference in the year 2007 was a unique event in the history of Pakistan when for the first time all stakeholders of the justice sector such as judges of the superior Courts, Judicial Officers, representatives of the Bar and legal luminaries from across the country were brought together in consultative process for improving the administration of justice in Pakistan. The issues like judicial independence, clearance of backlog, writing quality judgments, ADR, Public interest litigation and legal education were discussed.
2nd National Judicial Conference
The 2nd National Judicial Conference of 2009 is marked as an important event in the judicial history of Pakistan for the reason that not only the representatives of justice system but the members of the government agencies and representatives of civil society were invited to discuss the National Judicial Policy and its implementation mechanism. This Conference was based on multi theme format to improve the effectiveness of National Judicial Policy to achieve its predetermined objectives. The recommendations formulated during the Conference were considered and incorporated in the National Judicial Policy. In the light of recommendations, improvements were made to expedite trial proceedings, timely submission of challans and production of under-trial prisoners for expeditious disposal of cases.
3rd National Judicial Conference
The 3rd National Judicial Conference 2010 was convened on 16th-18th April 2010 with the aim to provide a platform to the stakeholders of justice sector to share their experiences and suggestions to clear the huge backlog accumulated over the decades and to ensure provision of speedy dispensation of justice. The deliberation made in the working groups led to formulation of recommendations and adaptation of Conference Declaration. Participatory methodology formed the basis of this three-day Conference in which the participants showed their involvement and interest through group work and intensive discussion. The participants focused their discussion on issues like improving the implementation of National Judicial Policy, Alternate Dispute Resolution, elimination of corruption in judiciary, responsibility of judges, lawyers and litigants in dispensation of justice. The recommendations formulated by the groups were considered by the NJPMC and all workable suggestions were implemented.
4th National Judicial Conference
The 4th National Judicial Conference 2011 was held on 22nd-24th April 2011. This time litigants and prisoners were also invited to attend the Conference and share their experiences and difficulties faced in pursuing their cases so as to understand and develop a workable mechanism for improving the administration of justice. The Conference proved a productive event due to active participation of relevant stakeholders. Themes selected for the Conference were based on the issues identified through consultation with the stakeholder of the justice sector. The Conference recommended for holding dialogue with Bar and other stakeholders for creating sense of ownership about the Policy, institutionalization of public interest litigation, adaptation of deterrent measures for eradication of corruption, credible amendments in laws, rules to ensure inexpensive and expeditious justice through ADR. The participants also recommended reformation of jails, effective implementation of Intellectual Property Laws and formulation of National Legal Education Policy for improving the standards of legal education.
5th International Judicial Conference
In 2012, the NJPMC broadened the scope of Judicial Conference to include distinguished international legal luminaries, researchers and academia to provide an opportunity to the national participants for interaction and gain not only an insight into international perspectives on the various topics of the Conference but also to enhance their understanding of common concerns in the administration of justice throughout the world. Eight thematic groups were formed on the basis of issues identified after broad consultation and the invaluable interaction resulted in development of innovative strategies for reforms to keep pace with the requirements of a dynamic society. The Conference recommended that the courts may utilize knowledge of experts in dealing with complex commercial issues, ADR should be made part of legal education and efforts should be made for education of all stakeholders on ADR. The Conference recommended establishment of a Judicial Commission on Gender Equality and Judicial Empathy and capacity building of judges, Court staff and counsels.
6thInternational Judicial Conference
The International Judicial Conference, 2013 was convened on 19-21 April, 2013 in Islamabad for providing an opportunity to all the stakeholders of justice sector institutions to deliberate upon the issues/ problems faced by the justice sector institutions in dispensation of inexpensive and expeditious justice. The Conference was attended by the jurists, academia and legal luminaries from around the world. The participants focused their deliberations on eight diversified thematic topics.
The working sessions were presided over by the Judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan and co-chaired by the Chief Justices of the High Courts, whereas, the foreign delegates participated in groups as panelists and speakers. The groups after exhaustive deliberations formulated their recommendations which were approved by the Conference as Islamabad Declaration.
7th International Judicial Conference
The International Judicial Conference, 2014 was convened on 19-21 April, 2014 in Islamabad for providing an opportunity to the national and international luminaries in the field of law and judicial administration to interact, share experiences, views and concerns for devising best strategies to resolve issues related to Judicial Review of Administrative Actions, Role of Judiciary in Protecting Human Rights, Access to Justice in the Context of Constitutional Requirements and Role of Judiciary in Promotion of Culture of Tolerance. The papers presented and deliberations made in the working groups, led to the formulation of recommendations and the gist thereof was read out as Conference Declaration.
8th International Judicial Conference
The Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP) under the auspices of National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee organized a three-day Judicial Conference. The Conference was held on 4th - 5th May 2018 at the Supreme Court of Pakistan Building, Islamabad. The inaugural and concluding sessions were chaired by the Hon’ble Chief Justice of Pakistan and the thematic groups were chaired by the Hon’ble Judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
The International Judicial Conference provided an opportunity to all the stakeholders of justice sector institutions to deliberate upon the issues/ problems faced by the justice sector institutions in dispensation of inexpensive and expeditious justice. The Conference was attended by the jurists, academia and legal luminaries from around the world. The participants focused their deliberations on eight diversified thematic topics.