Peshawar High Court Orders AI Integration, Independent Forensic Agency In Landmark Ruling

A five-member bench of the Peshawar High Court, headed by Chief Justice Atiq Shah, has issued a detailed judgment of historic significance and far-reaching impact, directing fundamental reforms in the province's judicial and criminal justice systems.

The ruling orders the effective use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Information Technology to modernize the judicial system, along with the establishment of an independent and autonomous Forensic Science Agency.

In its detailed judgment, the court observed that digitalization of the judicial system has become indispensable for the timely and effective disposal of cases. According to the bench, AI and IT should be made an integral part of the judicial process for case management, monitoring judicial performance, and collecting data for policy-making purposes.

The court has directed all relevant institutions and stakeholders to formulate a comprehensive strategy for the integration of AI and digital technologies into the judicial system. As per the judgment, all judicial records-from the registration of cases to final decisions-will be fully digitized to enable the identification of delays and ensure effective monitoring.

The judgment also orders the establishment of modern monitoring dashboards at the district level, where the status of cases will be displayed through a traffic-light system. The red indicator will identify cases requiring immediate judicial intervention, while the elimination of all red indicators has been set as a target to make the judicial system faster and more efficient overall.

To strengthen transparency and scientific foundations in the criminal justice system, the court has also ordered the establishment of an independent Forensic Science Agency on the model of the Punjab Safe City Authority and the Punjab Forensic Science Agency.

According to the ruling, the agency will be granted a separate legal and autonomous status to ensure the quality, impartiality, and transparency of forensic reports.

The court has further directed that satellite offices of the proposed forensic agency be established at all divisional headquarters, and that forensic laboratories be kept completely separate from the operational and investigative wings of the police. These institutions will be run exclusively by qualified and professional experts.

Additionally, the court has ordered that staff shortages at the existing forensic science laboratory be addressed immediately through new recruitments, and that funds for pending projects be released without delay. The decision is being described as a major milestone toward modern reforms in the judicial and criminal justice systems.

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