The Supreme Court of Pakistan participated in the Judicial Dispute Resolution Symposium held in Istanbul on May 4–5, contributing to international discussions on strengthening alternative dispute resolution (ADR) mechanisms and judicial reforms.
The symposium was organised by the Commercial Law Development Program of the U.S. Department of Commerce in collaboration with the Istanbul Arbitration Centre.
The two-day event brought together senior judges, legal experts and representatives of judicial academies from different countries to discuss the growing role of the judiciary in promoting mediation, arbitration and other alternative dispute resolution systems.
Discussions focused on developing effective national ADR frameworks, strengthening judicial support for arbitration and mediation, and aligning domestic legal practices with international standards.
Representing the Supreme Court of Pakistan, Miangul Hassan Aurangzeb participated in key sessions related to court-annexed ADR systems and the recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards.
During the symposium, Justice Aurangzeb highlighted Pakistan’s evolving approach towards institutionalising alternative dispute resolution mechanisms and shared details of ongoing judicial reforms aimed at reducing case backlogs, improving efficiency and enhancing access to justice.
The event also included a roundtable of judicial training academies, where participants explored ways to strengthen ADR-related curricula, develop specialised training programmes and encourage greater cross-border cooperation among judicial institutions.
Officials said Pakistan’s participation reflects the Supreme Court’s proactive engagement with the international judicial community, both to learn from global experiences and to contribute Pakistan’s own reforms and best practices in dispute resolution and institutional capacity-building.
The symposium formed part of broader international efforts to modernise judicial systems and encourage faster, more efficient settlement of commercial and civil disputes through alternative legal mechanisms.