JUDICIARY ADOPTS NATIONWIDE AUSTERITY AND ENERGY CONSERVATION MEASURES

Islamabad, March 10, 2026: The Hon’ble the Chief Justice of Pakistan chaired an emergent virtual meeting of the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee (NJPMC) at the Supreme Court of Pakistan today. It was attended by the Hon’ble Chief Justice, Federal Shariat Court, the Hon’ble Chief Justice, Lahore High Court, the Hon’ble Chief Justice, Islamabad High Court, the Hon’ble Chief Justice, Peshawar High Court, the Hon’ble Chief Justice, High Court of Sindh, the Hon’ble Chief Justice, High Court of Balochistan, while the Attorney General for Pakistan attended on special invitation.

The meeting approved a comprehensive Judicial Austerity and Energy Conservation Strategy aimed at ensuring responsible use of national resources while maintaining uninterrupted access to justice across the country. It reflects the institution’s proactive response to the anticipated disruption in petroleum supply and rising global energy costs, underscoring the judiciary’s commitment to national resilience and institutional responsibility.

Recognizing that the justice sector must lead by example in times of economic and energy uncertainty, the NJPMC resolved that courts across Pakistan will adopt a series of practical measures designed to reduce fuel consumption, limit operational costs, and promote efficient use of resources without compromising the delivery of justice.

Among the key measures approved, which shall remain in force till further orders, are:

Four-Day Working Week: The Federal Shariat Court and the High Courts shall observe a four-days working week (Monday to Thursday) to reduce fuel consumption and operational expenditure. However, while ensuring that urgent judicial and administrative functions continue without disruption on Fridays and Saturdays, the Courts may take necessary internal governance measures keeping in view their operational priorities.

Likewise, the District Courts shall work for four days a week (Monday to Thursday) with full capacity, while the respective High Courts shall keep their human resource at bare minimum on Fridays and Saturdays, as per workload and performance benchmarks.

Reduction in POL Ceiling: The monthly ceiling of Petroleum, Oil and Lubricants (POL) allocated to Hon’ble Judges of the Federal Shariat Court and the High Courts shall be reduced by 50 percent, while that of Judicial Officers by 25 percent.

Rationalization of Protocol and Security: No additional protocol or security vehicles shall be deployed during movement within designated high-security zones. However, the quarter concerned shall ensure route security as per required protocols. While the Federal Shariat Court and the High Courts shall rationalize security and protocol, the Hon’ble Judges and Judicial Officers serving in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan shall maintain their security as per circumstances.

Promotion of Video-Link Hearings: Litigants and counsel shall be encouraged to participate in proceedings through video-link facilities, where feasible, including through the premises of High Courts and District Courts.

Rotational Attendance of Staff: The Federal Shariat Court and the High Courts shall implement rotational attendance arrangements for staff, wherever practicable, to minimize commuting and reduce energy consumption while maintaining essential court functions.

The Committee emphasized that these measures represent the judiciary’s institutional commitment to prudent governance, environmental responsibility, and solidarity with the broader national effort to conserve energy and public resources.

By adopting these measures across the judicial system, the NJPMC reaffirmed that access to justice will remain uninterrupted, even as the judiciary aligns its internal operations with principles of efficiency, sustainability, and responsible stewardship.