Supreme Court senior puisne judge Justice Mansoor Ali Shah underscored the dire need for judicial reforms in Pakistan, citing an alarming backlog of 2.4 million cases and a severe shortage of judges.
Addressing a seminar in Karachi, he stated that the country required between 15,000 to 20,000 judges to efficiently manage the caseload. Justice Shah said, “The number of judges in the country remains insufficient, leading to a staggering number of pending cases.”
He stressed that individuals approached the courts for every issue instead of exploring arbitration or other mechanisms.
Justice Shah said: "A prevalent mindset had emerged where litigants preferred seeking court injunctions over resolving disputes through alternative means.
“If everyone rushes to court and obtains stay orders, how will the economy function?” he questioned.
At the seminar held at the Islamic Chamber of Commerce, Justice Shah urged the authorities to establish ADR centres across the country. “The time has come to ensure the implementation of ADR centres nationwide,” he asserted.
Sindh High Court Judge Justice Yousuf Ali Sayeed and Lahore High Court Judge Justice Jawad Hassan also addressed the event.
