ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Yahya Afridi led the Pakistani delegation to the 14th St. Petersburg International Legal Forum (SPILF) held from 24-26 June in St. Petersburg, Russia, where he engaged with judicial leaders from across the world to strengthen international judicial cooperation and promote Pakistan’s ongoing judicial reform agenda.
The delegation comprised chief justice of the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) and the ambassador of Pakistan to the Russian Federation.
On the sidelines of the forum, Justice Afridi held a series of bilateral engagements with heads of foreign judiciaries to enhance institutional collaboration and expand judicial dialogue. A key engagement was held with representatives of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation that focused on establishing a framework for bilateral judicial cooperation.
The proposed collaboration encompasses judicial exchanges, professional and judicial education, legal research, court administration, digital transformation, and the sharing of best practices.
The forum also provided an opportunity to showcase Pakistan’s ongoing judicial reform initiatives, including advancements in court digitalization, responsible adoption of emerging technologies, institutional strengthening, and measures aimed at improving access to justice. These engagements facilitated a meaningful exchange of experiences on contemporary challenges confronting justice systems and reinforced Pakistan’s commitment to learning from international best practices.
The opening day concluded with the plenary session, where the Pakistani delegation interacted with judicial leaders, policymakers, legal scholars, and practitioners from numerous jurisdictions, further strengthening Pakistan’s engagement with the global legal community.
The delegation’s participation reaffirmed the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s commitment to judicial diplomacy, international cooperation, and the promotion of an independent, efficient, accessible, and technology-enabled justice system through sustained collaboration with partner judiciaries.
