ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s long-struggling judicial system, burdened by millions of pending cases and notorious delays, is gradually exploring the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to improve efficiency and restore public confidence in the delivery of justice.
According to official estimates, courts across the country are grappling with years-long backlogs, compounded by limited human resources, repeated adjournments, and procedural inefficiencies. Amid these challenges, legal experts and policymakers are asking whether modern technologies—particularly AI—can help overhaul the system.
Several countries, including China, the United Kingdom, and Singapore, have already begun leveraging AI for legal research, case tracking, and even decision support. Pakistan is now following suit, albeit cautiously.
Initiatives like the Presidential Initiative for Artificial Intelligence and Computing (PIAIC) and legal tech platforms such as PakistanLaw.AI are making early inroads. PakistanLaw.AI hosts thousands of court rulings in a digital archive, enabling legal professionals to search, analyze, and summarize judgments using advanced algorithms.
In a parallel development, Islamabad High Court and other judicial bodies have introduced e-court systems, allowing for virtual hearings, online case registration, and digital documentation. By the end of 2023, more than 226,000 cases were heard through e-courts, according to the National Judicial Automation Unit. Over 60,000 citizens benefited from the system in December alone.
Legal analyst and Islamabad High Court advocate Umar Aslam emphasized that while AI can revolutionize legal research and case management, final verdicts must always be delivered by human judges. “The law isn’t just about statutes—it requires moral judgment, context, and an understanding of intent,” he noted.
The Supreme Court of Pakistan, in a recent landmark ruling authored by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, acknowledged AI as a potential tool to enhance judicial productivity. The 18-page decision recommended the development of formal guidelines for AI integration in courts. The Court recognized tools of AI for their role in drafting and legal research but cautioned against their use in replacing human reasoning.
Former Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, in earlier remarks, stated that digitization is essential to ensure transparency and improve the speed of judicial proceedings. “To modernize the courts, we must embrace technological change,” he said, citing AI’s potential in evidence preservation, scheduling, and case monitoring.
Yet, serious hurdles remain. A lack of digital literacy among thousands of judges and lawyers—particularly in lower courts—combined with patchy internet access and linguistic challenges, poses a significant threat to AI adoption. Many legal terms rooted in Urdu or regional languages lack standardized translations, complicating machine interpretation.
Experts also raise ethical concerns. Pakistan’s Constitution, under Article 14, guarantees citizens the right to privacy—raising questions about AI surveillance, data security, and individual rights in judicial processes.
Moreover, the complexity of Pakistan’s legal landscape, which includes Islamic, common, and tribal laws, makes it difficult to develop AI models with the necessary contextual understanding. Legal experts argue that AI’s role may initially be limited to civil cases, document management, and legal research support.
Prominent legal reform advocate Arif Chaudhry believes the country needs a national strategy to effectively integrate AI into its judiciary. “We must invest in R&D, legal tech education, and AI training for lawyers and judges,” he said. “Collaborations with countries like China, where judicial AI is already operational, can offer valuable insights.”
He added that a tech-enabled legal system could significantly reduce court burdens, automate routine tasks, and raise the standard of legal arguments.
While full-scale AI implementation in Pakistan’s courts remains a distant goal, experts agree that incorporating it into the system is no longer optional—it’s a necessity. As public pressure mounts for faster justice, the question is no longer if Pakistan will adopt judicial AI.
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