Shumaila Naz
FOR a citizen seeking justice, the journey should not become a struggle in itself. Finding the right office, understanding procedures, seeking information about a case or simply knowing where to turn for assistance can often be as daunting as the legal process itself. The Supreme Court of Pakistan is taking steps to change this experience by bringing essential facilitation closer to the people and making access to justice simpler, more responsive and increasingly technology-driven.
The Public Facilitation Centre (PFC) was established with this very purpose. Designed as a one-window facility for litigants and visitors to the Supreme Court, the Centre brings together a range of services at a single point. Instead of requiring citizens to move from one office to another, the PFC coordinates with the relevant branches internally so that citizens can access the required assistance through one window. The objective is simple: justice must not only be served but also facilitated.
The Supreme Court is now taking this initiative a step further by establishing a Legal Aid Cell within the premises of the Public Facilitation Centre. The Legal Aid Cell will complement the administrative and facilitation services already available at the Centre by extending legal assistance to deserving persons who require guidance in pursuing or defending their legal rights. A dedicated Legal Assistant has been appointed to facilitate such individuals and guide them towards appropriate legal assistance.
This new initiative also forms part of the Supreme Court’s broader transition towards online and technology-enabled public services. Nearly 20 services are already available online through the Public Facilitation Centre Portal on the Supreme Court’s website. Citizens can, therefore, access a growing number of services without having to physically visit the Court. The underlying philosophy is clear: technology should reduce, rather than add to, the burden on a litigant.
But accessibility does not end with putting services online. A citizen may still have a question, may need help understanding a procedure or may simply need to know the status of a case. To bridge this gap, the Supreme Court has introduced 1818, a dedicated helpline through which members of the public can seek information regarding their cases, obtain assistance with online services and raise administrative queries. With the introduction of the Legal Aid Cell, the same point of contact will also provide a channel for those seeking legal assistance.
The idea is to ensure that a citizen does not have to know which branch to approach, whom to contact or where to go merely to obtain an answer. Whether the need is administrative, technological or legal, the system is increasingly being structured around the citizen rather than requiring the citizen to navigate the system.
The Public Facilitation Centre, its online portal, the 1818 helpline and the newly established Legal Aid Cell are, therefore, not isolated initiatives. They are interconnected steps towards making the Supreme Court more accessible, responsive and citizen-oriented. At its heart, the initiative carries a simple message: the doors of justice should not merely be open; people should be helped to find their way through them.
—The writer is associated with judicial reform initiatives
