National Judicial Policy Making Committee approves judicial austerity and energy conservation plan
Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi chairs a meeting of the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee at the Supreme Court of Pakistan, on Tuesday. Photo: Supreme Court of Pakistan
In line with the government-announced austerity measures due to disruption in the supply of petroleum products, the Supreme Court of Pakistan also announced similar measures on Tuesday, adopting a four-day working week from Monday to Thursday.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif a day earlier announced a number of steps as part of a broader austerity plan to manage the situation arising from the fuel crunch linked to the ongoing Middle East crisis following attacks by the United States and Israel on Iran. During a meeting attended by representatives of the federal and provincial governments, the premier announced a four-day work week and a work-from-home policy as part of wide-ranging austerity measures.
According to a statement issued by the Supreme Court, the National Judicial Policy Making Committee (NJPMC) met under the chairmanship of Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi during an emergent virtual meeting.
The meeting, attended by the Federal Shariat Court chief justice, the chief justices of all high courts and the attorney general of Pakistan on special invitation, approved a comprehensive “Judicial Austerity and Energy Conservation Strategy” aimed at ensuring responsible use of national resources while maintaining uninterrupted access to justice across the country.
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“It reflects the institution’s proactive response to the anticipated disruption in petroleum supply and rising global energy costs, underscoring the judiciary’s commitment to national resilience and institutional responsibility.”
Recognising that the justice sector must lead by example in times of economic and energy uncertainty, “the NJPMC resolved that courts across Pakistan will adopt a series of practical measures designed to reduce fuel consumption, limit operational costs and promote efficient use of resources without compromising the delivery of justice,” the statement read.
The committee emphasised that these measures represented the judiciary’s institutional commitment to prudent governance, environmental responsibility and solidarity with the broader national effort to conserve energy and public resources.
“By adopting these measures across the judicial system, the NJPMC reaffirmed that access to justice will remain uninterrupted, even as the judiciary aligns its internal operations with principles of efficiency, sustainability and responsible stewardship,” said the Supreme Court press release.
Following the meeting, the apex court issued a notification announcing the measures with immediate effect.
“In view of likely disruption in the supply of petroleum products resulting in escalating energy costs, it is imperative to adopt prudent and responsible measures to conserve resources,” the notification reads.
According to the directives, the court will observe a four-day working week (Monday to Thursday) to reduce fuel consumption and operational expenditure. “The court shall observe holidays from Friday to Sunday,” it added.
However, while ensuring that urgent judicial and administrative functions continued without disruption on Fridays and Saturdays, the courts may take necessary internal governance measures keeping in view their operational priorities.
Likewise, the district courts would work for four days a week (Monday to Thursday) with full capacity, while the respective high courts would keep their human resources at a bare minimum on Fridays and Saturdays, as per workload and performance benchmarks.
The notification said the monthly ceiling of Petroleum, Oil and Lubricants (POL) allocated to judges and entitled officers would be reduced by 50%, while additional security or protocol vehicles were banned.
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“No additional protocol or security vehicles shall be deployed during movement within designated high-security zones,” the notification said, adding that the concerned quarters shall ensure route security as per required protocols.
The court also encouraged litigants and counsel to participate in proceedings through video-link facilities where feasible, along with rotational attendance of staff in courts.
“Rotational attendance arrangements for staff, wherever practicable, to minimise commuting and reduce energy consumption while maintaining essential court functions,” it added.
In its statement, the apex court also announced similar measures for the Federal Shariat Court and the high courts.
“The monthly ceiling of POL allocated to honourable judges of the Federal Shariat Court and the high courts shall be reduced by 50%, while that of judicial officers by 25%,” it said.
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The court also rationalised security and protocol for the Federal Shariat Court and high courts but allowed an exception in view of the recent security situation in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
“While the Federal Shariat Court and the high courts shall rationalise security and protocol, the honourable judges and judicial officers serving in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan shall maintain their security as per circumstances.”
