Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Yahya Afridi chaired a high-level meeting at the Supreme Court Quetta Registry on Monday, emphasizing the need for strengthened institutional cooperation to improve the delivery of justice, especially in underdeveloped districts of the country.

The meeting was attended by representatives from the Balochistan High Court, the Supreme Court Bar Association, and the Pakistan Bar Council. During the session, concerns were raised about the lack of judicial infrastructure in remote and underserved districts, which continues to hamper access to justice for vulnerable communities.

In a major decision aimed at promoting equal access to legal representation, the CJP announced that free legal aid will be provided to poor litigants, with qualified lawyers being compensated by the state up to Rs50,000 for their services.

Justice Yahya Afridi also announced the appointment of Law and Justice Commission representatives in every province, tasked with monitoring development projects in district bar associations and ensuring proper implementation of justice initiatives at the grassroots level.

The meeting further decided to expand the scope of legal assistance to cases at the Supreme Court level. Bar councils were instructed to nominate competent and qualified lawyers for this initiative.

To enhance professional capacity, emphasis was laid on utilizing training opportunities offered by the Federal Judicial Academy. Bar associations across the country were directed to distribute the academy’s training calendar widely to encourage participation among lawyers.

“This is a collective responsibility. All stakeholders must work together to strengthen the justice system,” Chief Justice Afridi said, delivering a strong message of unity and reform to the legal community.

The next high-level meeting will be held in Karachi, where further consultations will take place to address the concerns of bar associations and advance judicial reforms.