ISLAMABAD – In a milestone development for Pakistan’s legal landscape, the Supreme Court has issued a landmark judgment advocating the structured integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the country’s judicial processes.
Authored by Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, the comprehensive 18-page verdict calls for the formulation of clear and comprehensive guidelines to govern the ethical and effective use of AI tools within the justice system.
The judgment underscores the potential of AI technologies—such as ChatGPT and DeepSeek—to assist judges in streamlining legal research, managing caseloads, and even drafting judgments. Justice Shah noted that courts around the world are already exploring AI to boost efficiency and reduce backlogs, and emphasized that Pakistan must also embrace this evolving technology while safeguarding judicial integrity and transparency.
“The introduction of AI must not compromise the fairness of trials or the autonomy of judges,” the verdict reads, stressing that any adoption of such technologies should be grounded in strict ethical standards and legal oversight.
The court acknowledged global trends where AI has been used as a supportive tool—not a replacement—for judicial reasoning, particularly in managing voluminous data and helping draft initial versions of rulings. Justice Shah highlighted the need for training and capacity-building of judicial officers to use AI responsibly.
Legal experts have hailed the decision as a forward-thinking move, saying it paves the way for a more efficient and modern judicial system while initiating a much-needed conversation about the role of emerging technologies in law and governance.
This is the first time Pakistan’s top court has taken a formal stance on the use of artificial intelligence in judicial affairs, marking a critical step toward modernization of the country’s legal infrastructure.
