Islamabad, 9 July 2026: Under the European Union funded Deliver Justice Project, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) launched Pakistan’s first Rule of Law Forum to examine the future of people centered justice.
The forum brought together representatives from the judiciary, government institutions, civil society, academia, the private sector, development partners, activists and policy experts to discuss climate justice, commercial justice and the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the justice sector.
Hon’ble Mr. Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar, Supreme Court of Pakistan, attended as chief guest and said, “Justice cannot remain static in a rapidly changing world. Our responsibility is to ensure that the justice system evolves with the needs of the people it serves. At the Supreme Court of Pakistan, we are pursuing transformative reforms that strengthen institutional resilience, enhance public confidence, and place people at the very center of justice.”
The forum opened with a panel titled No Justice without Climate Justice, moderated by Ms. Shahzada Ahmad, Programme Manager, Rule of Law Programme, UNDP Pakistan. The discussion focused on Pakistan’s climate litigation journey, with panelists Barrister Zunaira Fayyaz, Ms. Sibah Farooq and Ms. Granaz Hoath reflecting on the changing legal landscape around climate accountability and environmental rights.
This was followed by a high level roundtable on commercial justice and sustainable economic growth, chaired by Hon’ble Mr. Justice Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb, Judge, Supreme Court of Pakistan. The session also noted the growing importance of commercial justice as Pakistan continues reforms aligned with the European Union’s GSP+ framework.
Dr. Sébastien Lorion, Acting Head of Cooperation, Delegation of the EU to Pakistan, said the forum marked the final event of the fully EU financed Deliver Justice Project, which began over five years ago. He said the discussions highlighted both challenges and opportunities related to climate change, economic development and artificial intelligence, and added that EU support for rule of law and human rights programmes would continue in partnership with Pakistan’s justice institutions and civil society.
The forum also looked at the rise of AI in the justice sector and the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s recent guidelines on responsible use. Moderated by Mr. Fasi Zaka, the panel featured Judge Muhammad Amir Munir, Ms. Bushra Saeed, Dr. Naveed Iftikhar and Mr. Jamal Aziz. The discussion focused on how AI can support access to justice, judicial efficiency and decision making, while stressing ethical safeguards, transparency and human oversight.
In his remarks, Dr. Samuel Rizk, Resident Representative, UNDP Pakistan, said the forum was meant to ask how justice will be experienced in Pakistan in the years ahead. He said it should become a shared space for justice institutions, activists and innovators, and thanked the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the European Union for their partnership in advancing a more inclusive, responsive and people centered justice system.
