How the New Digital Policy Benefits Petitioners and Their Lawyers: A Major Step Toward Timely Justice
THE LAUNCH OF the new, upgraded website of the Gilgit-Baltistan Service Tribunal marks a transformative step in addressing one of the most persistent concerns of litigants and their lawyers—the problem of prolonged, and often inordinate, delays in the adjudication of service matters. For years, many petitioners have faced uncertainty, repeated visits to offices, and lack of access to reliable information regarding the status of their appeals. The frustration has been especially acute in cases that have remained unresolved for a decade or more.
Among the longstanding matters are the appeals filed by teachers from the Education Departments of Skardu, Gilgit, and other districts. These petitioners maintain that they met all requisite professional qualifications, yet were subsequently removed from service on the basis of alleged irregularities in the recruitment criteria. Their appeals have remained unresolved for more than fifteen years, subjecting them to sustained uncertainty and hardship.
It is particularly noteworthy that many of these petitioners have now crossed the upper age limit for government employment. Because their cases have remained undecided for so long, they are no longer eligible—for the rest of their lives—to seek fresh government jobs, a consequence that flows directly from the delays in the adjudication process. This not only deprives them of their right to livelihood but also underscores the human cost of systemic delays.
A Modern System Designed to Address Delays
The newly introduced digital policy—centred around the upgraded Tribunal website integrated with the Judicial Management System—directly addresses these challenges. It provides several concrete benefits that will help reduce anxiety, improve transparency, and bring overdue relief to long-waiting petitioners:
1. Real-Time Access to Case Status
Petitioners and lawyers can now track the exact stage of their appeals using either the tracking ID or the case number. This eliminates the uncertainty that once forced litigants to travel long distances merely to obtain updates.
2. Transparency in Case Movement
The Judicial Management System digitally records every movement of the case—from filing to listing to issuance of orders. Petitioners can immediately see whether their case is fixed for hearing, pending scrutiny, or delayed for administrative reasons.
3. Reduced Dependency on Intermediaries
The new digital system empowers users to obtain authentic information independently, significantly reducing reliance on intermediaries and minimizing delays caused by communication gaps.
4. Multilingual and Device-Friendly Access
Whether the petitioner or counsel is in Gilgit, Skardu, Islamabad, Karachi, or abroad, the system can be accessed instantly in any major language and on any digital device. This feature particularly benefits elderly, retired, or financially constrained petitioners who may not be able to travel repeatedly to tribunal offices.
5. Encouragement of Faster Administrative Processing
Public visibility of case progress creates an inherent accountability mechanism. When each step becomes traceable online, undue delays become easier to identify and harder to justify.
A Ray of Relief for Long-Pending Appellate Cases
For petitioners like the long-affected teachers whose appeals have remained undecided for more than a decade and a half—and who now remain permanently barred from future government employment due to age limitations—the new system represents a renewed ray of hope. While technology cannot undo the years already lost, it can prevent further delays, ensure timely guidance, and restore confidence in the adjudicatory process.
Lawyers, too, will benefit significantly. With organized digital information, counsel can prepare more effectively, plan hearings efficiently, and ensure that cases move forward without unnecessary procedural lapses. This contributes to the reduction of overall backlog and supports faster disposal of cases.
Conclusion
The upgraded digital platform is not merely a technological enhancement—it is a commitment to justice, transparency, and institutional accountability. By offering multilingual, real-time, device-friendly access to reliable case information, the system empowers petitioners and lawyers alike. For those whose service appeals—such as the long-pending teacher appointment cases—have kept them in limbo for years and deprived them of future government employment opportunities, this initiative marks a significant and long-awaited step toward ensuring that justice delayed is no longer justice denied.
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