Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi led the Pakistani delegation to the 14th St Petersburg International Legal Forum (SPILF) in the Russian Federation, where he engaged with judicial leaders from around the world to strengthen international judicial cooperation and promote Pakistan’s ongoing judicial reform agenda.

The forum, being held in St Petersburg from June 24 to 26, has brought together judicial leaders, policymakers, legal scholars and practitioners from numerous jurisdictions. The Pakistani delegation also included the chief justice of the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC) of Pakistan and Pakistan’s Ambassador to the Russian Federation.

On the sidelines of the forum, the chief justice held a series of bilateral meetings with heads of foreign judiciaries aimed at enhancing institutional collaboration and expanding judicial dialogue.

Judicial outreach raises eyebrows

Since the passage of the 26th Constitutional Amendment, the superior judiciary, led by Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi, has actively engaged with the judiciaries of several foreign states.

However, sections of the legal fraternity are questioning why the chief justice is seeking to establish frameworks for bilateral judicial cooperation with countries where, they argue, the courts operate under the influence of the executive.

The superior judiciary, led by Justice Afridi, has so far signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the highest courts of China and Turkiye. A section of lawyers believes that the executive exercises dominance over the judiciary of both countries.

In the latest development, Justice Afridi held an engagement with representatives of the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation to establish a framework for bilateral judicial cooperation.

The proposed collaboration encompasses judicial exchanges, professional and judicial education, legal research, court administration, digital transformation, and the sharing of best practices.

Former additional attorney general Waqar Rana states that the courts in Russia, China and Turkiye have traditionally supported authoritarian regimes in furtherance of notional and real security concerns.

“Courts in Pakistan have been trying to keep a balance between liberty and order, but over the past few years, there has been a trend that the balance is shifting towards order, ignoring liberty, and seemingly siding with the executive,” says Rana.

Commenting on the engagement, Barrister Asad Rahim Khan states that given how new rules have so restricted judicial interaction with the outside world, it’s quite extraordinary that an exception be made for a trip to Russia.

“The state of the Russian judiciary – and its entirely compromised independence – is well-known. At a time when Pakistan is beset with the greatest judicial regression in its history, can there really be much to learn from a foreign court system that has wholly subordinated itself to its executive,” he further states.

CJP Afridi is leading the Pakistani delegation to the 14th St. Petersburg International Legal Forum (SPILF), being held from June 24 to 26, 2026, in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, where he engaged with judicial leaders from across the world to strengthen international judicial cooperation and promote Pakistan’s ongoing judicial reform agenda.

Besides Justice Afridi, the Pakistani delegation comprises Chief Justice of the Federal Constitutional Court Aminuddin Khan and Pakistan’s ambassador to the Russian Federation.

Lawyer Faisal Siddiqi states that with this conference, “the judiciary has achieved its rightful place within the world of autocratic legalism, i.e. weak courts within a dominating executive branch,” he adds.

According to a Supreme Court statement, the forum also provided an opportunity to showcase Pakistan’s ongoing judicial reform initiatives, including advancements in court digitalisation, the responsible adoption of emerging technologies, institutional strengthening, and measures aimed at improving access to justice.

These engagements facilitated a meaningful exchange of experiences on contemporary challenges confronting justice systems and reinforced Pakistan’s commitment to learning from international best practices.

The opening day concluded with the plenary session, where the Pakistani delegation interacted with judicial leaders, policymakers, legal scholars and practitioners from numerous jurisdictions, further strengthening Pakistan’s engagement with the global legal community.

The delegation’s participation reaffirmed the Supreme Court’s commitment to judicial diplomacy, international cooperation, and the promotion of an independent, efficient, accessible and technology-enabled justice system through sustained collaboration with partner judiciaries, the statement issued by the Supreme Court PRO said.