In a decisive move to address the growing challenges posed by escalating fuel prices and potential supply disruptions, a high-level judicial committee in Pakistan has greenlit a series of stringent energy conservation and austerity measures for the country’s courts. The National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee (NJPMC), led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Yahya Afridi, convened an urgent virtual session on Tuesday to deliberate on strategies aimed at reducing the judiciary’s energy consumption while ensuring that access to justice remains uninterrupted nationwide.
The meeting brought together the chief justices of the Federal Shariat Court and all provincial high courts, highlighting the judiciary’s collective commitment to national resilience during these turbulent times. The Attorney General of Pakistan also participated by special invitation, underscoring the importance of a coordinated approach between the judiciary and the executive in managing the ongoing energy crisis. The committee’s decisions reflect a proactive stance in safeguarding institutional functionality amidst the backdrop of rising fuel costs linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
Central to the approved Judicial Austerity and Energy Conservation Strategy is the introduction of a four-day working week, running from Monday through Thursday, for the Federal Shariat Court and all high courts across Pakistan. This adjustment aims to significantly reduce operational energy demands without compromising the delivery of urgent judicial services. The committee emphasized that while Fridays and Saturdays will see reduced activity, courts must still ensure that critical judicial and administrative tasks continue seamlessly. To this end, courts are encouraged to implement internal governance measures tailored to their specific operational priorities and workloads.
District courts will similarly operate at full capacity during the four-day workweek, with a scaled-down presence on Fridays and Saturdays. The relevant high courts will oversee staffing levels on these days, adjusting personnel deployment based on case volume and performance metrics. This flexible approach is designed to balance energy savings with the judiciary’s responsibility to provide timely justice to the public.
In addition to changes in working days, the committee has mandated a substantial reduction in fuel allowances. Judges serving in the Federal Shariat Court and high courts will see their monthly Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants (POL) allocations slashed by half, while judicial officers will face a 25 percent cut. This measure is part of a broader effort to curb unnecessary fuel consumption within the judicial system. Furthermore, the committee has ruled that no extra protocol or security vehicles will be deployed for judicial movements within designated high-security zones, although essential route security will remain intact to ensure the safety of judicial personnel.
Recognizing the unique security challenges in regions like Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, the committee clarified that judges and judicial officers stationed there will continue to receive security arrangements appropriate to the prevailing circumstances. This nuanced approach balances austerity with the imperative of safeguarding judicial officers in sensitive areas.
To further minimize fuel usage and reduce physical commuting, the judiciary will actively promote the use of video-link facilities for hearings wherever feasible. This includes leveraging the infrastructure of high courts and district courts to facilitate remote participation by litigants and lawyers. Additionally, the Federal Shariat Court and high courts have been instructed to implement rotational attendance schedules for their staff, thereby limiting the number of employees traveling to court premises on any given day while maintaining essential operations.
Parallel to these judicial measures, the federal government has announced that an additional weekly holiday will be observed on Fridays, a decision that emerged during a review meeting chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif focused on austerity and fuel conservation. This development aligns with the judiciary’s four-day workweek and is part of a broader national strategy to reduce energy consumption across government sectors. The announcement follows Prime Minister Shehbaz’s recent unveiling of a comprehensive austerity and savings plan aimed at mitigating the economic impact of rising fuel prices and ensuring sustainable resource management during this period of uncertainty.
Overall, the judicial committee’s decisions underscore a strong institutional resolve to contribute meaningfully to Pakistan’s efforts in managing the energy crisis. By adopting these austerity measures, the judiciary not only demonstrates fiscal responsibility but also sets a precedent for other public institutions to follow suit in conserving vital national resources without compromising their core functions.
