For the first time, Pakistan's Supreme Court on Monday began hearing cases through video link, a development which the apex court said will benefit the litigants, lawyers and save time and money.
A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and comprising Justice Sardar Tariq Masood and Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Miankhel formally initiated the proceedings of cases through the e-Court system at principal seat Islamabad and the Supreme Court Karachi registry.
"It is for the first time in judicial history of Pakistan that cases in the Supreme Court of Pakistan are heard through videolink connectivity," the Supreme Court of Pakistan said in a statement.
Initially, the e-court system will be available in Supreme Court, Islamabad and Karachi registry.
The advocates of Karachi, whose cases were fixed for hearing at Supreme Court Branch Registry Karachi, argued their cases through a video-link and the bench at principal seat Islamabad heard and decided the cases.
Chief Justice Khosa while hearing first case through the technology remarked that a big milestone has been achieved in the judicial history of Pakistan that case are been heard through latest technology.
"The facility will benefit lawyers and litigants to save them time and money," he said.
He also praised the IT Committee of Supreme Court headed by Justice Mushir Alam and comprising Justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah and other stakeholders for their untiring efforts that made this project successful.
During Monday's first proceedings, the pre-arrest plea for bail of a murder suspect was approved, Geo News reported.
The suspect was named in a murder case in 2014 in Shadabpur, said Chief Justice Khosa, adding that he was not involved in the murder.
The Sindh High Court had not made a decision on his bail plea which was pending since 2016, the report said.
