ISLAMABAD - Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar on Monday observed that there was a need for introducing reforms in the judiciary and issued a notice to the Federal government in this regard.

A three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, heard a petition regarding revising the National Judicial Policy.

The Chief Justice said that the legislation is required for the reforms in the judiciary, adding, making law is not the job of the apex court.

He said that they could not interfere in the affairs of Parliament. However, there are a few things that could be improved by the court.

The case was adjourned for three weeks.

The petition suggested that the shelf-life of an average case in the Civil Courts of Punjab is over 37 months and from institution to the passing of decree, an average case requires around 58 hearings.

It requested the apex court to order the registrars of the high courts to make fresh rules under Article 202 of the Constitution and Section 122 of the Criminal Procedure Code for imposing costs on litigants who pursue frivolous petitions or for prosecution of perjurers, stipulate maximum time limit for different kinds of suits, petitions and appeals and regulate alternative dispute resolution in addition to discipline the lawyers who abuse the process of the court.

It urged the Supreme Court to order the Federal and provincial governments to submit reports on the total number of pending cases, including suits, petitions, appeals and revisions.

The registrars of the high courts should furnish the total number of prosecutions initiated and convictions obtained under Sections 193 to 196 of the Pakistan Penal Code by judges under their superintendence during the past three years, the petition added.

It requested the court to direct the national judiciary policy makers to revise the National Judicial Policy, including a policy on delay reduction, based upon scientific assessment of the present State of affairs and its causes, and submit the same to the apex court.

The petition has been filed by Umer Ijaz Gilani, Attaullah Hakeem Kundi, Muhammad Haider Imtiaz, Raheel Ahmed and Hadiya Aziz.