Islamabad High Court Moves Toward Paperless System

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court has taken another major step toward a paperless judicial system by making the submission of a complete digital copy mandatory with every new case filed before the court.

According to a circular dated September 24, 2026, the requirement has come into effect immediately. Parties and their lawyers will now have to submit a complete, legible and properly arranged digital version of the case file in the prescribed electronic format, along with the original documents and paper books wherever required.

The circular says the initiative is aimed at improving efficiency, transparency and speed in the filing, processing and management of cases while facilitating the Islamabad High Court’s gradual transition toward a paperless working environment.

Responsibility for ensuring that the digital case file is complete, readable, accurate and arranged in the correct sequence will rest with the party or counsel submitting the case.

Hard Copies No Longer Required for Government Law Offices

In another significant procedural change, hard copies of case files will no longer be supplied to the offices of the Advocate General, Prosecutor General, Deputy Attorney General or other similarly placed law offices. Instead, those offices will receive digital copies through officially prescribed electronic channels.

The court has also directed that digital case files and subsequent electronic documents must only be transmitted or uploaded through the official electronic system or another method specifically authorised by the court. Confidential or case-related material must not be sent through unauthorised or personal electronic platforms.

Where required under applicable procedures, biometric verification of lawyers or litigants may also be carried out through the NADRA e-Sahulat service for authentication and identity verification at the time a case is filed.

Digital Requirement Extends to Subsequent Documents

The digital-filing requirement will not be limited to the initial case record. Amended pleadings, applications, replies, additional documents and other material forming part of the judicial record will also have to be submitted digitally wherever applicable.

The Registrar or another authorised court officer has been empowered to issue further administrative instructions, guidelines and Standard Operating Procedures covering matters including electronic formats, scanning quality, file size, file naming, authentication, uploading, transmission and preservation of digital records.

The circular states that the measures have been issued with the approval of the Chief Justice of the Islamabad High Court.

The latest move builds on the court’s existing digital infrastructure. The IHC already operates online case-management and e-court facilities, while its official systems offer services including case status, electronic court facilities, lawyer calendars and digital case-related information.

The court has also previously highlighted digitisation and automation as part of its efforts to improve access and service delivery for lawyers and litigants.