Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Aalia Neelam on Wednesday held a meeting with the presidents of High Court Bar Associations from across the province.
The meeting was attended by Lahore High Court Bar Association President Malik Asif Nisoana, Rawalpindi High Court Bar Association President Ahsan Hameed Lilla, Multan High Court Bar Association President Malik Javed Dogar, and Bahawalpur High Court Bar Association President Ch. Nadeem Iqbal.
During the meeting, discussions were held on challenges faced by the legal community, judicial reforms, and administrative matters. The chief justice briefed the bar leaders on judicial reforms and new standard operating procedures (SOPs). She informed the bar representatives about new SOPs for case circulation in the district judiciary, stating that these measures have been implemented on the orders of the Supreme Court to prevent bogus and fabricated cases. She emphasized that effective mechanisms have been introduced to curb fraudulent withdrawals from the government treasury using fake documents.
Justice Neelam stated that it is now mandatory to complete all case information sheets thoroughly. The information sheet must include the plaintiff’s or petitioner’s signature or thumb impression along with a photograph. Additionally, plaintiffs or petitioners can complete photo verification via webcam from any location. The information sheet must also include the CNIC number and mobile number of the plaintiff or petitioner, she added.
The chief justice further highlighted the heavy caseload at the Lahore High Court, noting that traditional methods are insufficient to handle the growing volume of cases. She stressed the need for modern approaches to expedite case resolutions.
Major upcoming changes include a coloured file cover system—effective from June 2025—to differentiate civil, criminal, family, and commercial cases, with specially marked covers for writ petitions. The court’s digital transformation features prominently, with live cause lists now available through the Lahore High Court mobile app, and plans to install LCD screens outside courtrooms for real-time case updates, she added.
Concluding the session, LHC Chief Justice Aalia Neelam urged bar leaders to actively disseminate information about these reforms through their communication networks.
