IHC launches mobile app

Litigants, lawyers can use application to search for cases and get alerts

ISLAMABAD: In order to ease the burden on the courts and to facilitate lawyers and litigants, the Islamabad High Court on Thursday launched a free mobile application which will allow users to get alerts, notifications and updates about cases on their mobile phones.

However, the app’s efficacy is dependent on whether the court’s IT department can digitise documents fast enough.

The acting chief justice of the IHC, Justice Noorul Haq Qureshi, inaugurated the mobile app during a workshop on technology held at the Quaid-e-Azam Hall within court premises.





“[It is imperative] to bring courts at par with international standards,” Justice Qureshi said.

Noting the short time in which the app was developed, Justice Qureshi said it would replace the old case-flow management system. He added that the app was built along international standards.

In addition to the app, Justice Qureshi highlighted how the court’s IT department had developed and implemented the district court’s online case-flow management system, a complaint cell for IHC, an archive section at IHC, online case proceedings, auto generation of notices, summons, email service, two-way SMS system, information and copying desk and case record management system.

“It makes abundantly clear that the IT department at Islamabad High Court is a success story in absolute terms,” he added.

Litigants and lawyers can use the app to search for cases at the court using individual case numbers, party name, respondent name and advocate name. Further, they can also check the copy of a petition which has been filed, it’s status and the daily cause list.



This search feature is one of the unique and useful features of the app.

Further, litigants and lawyers can subscribe to get alerts for particular cases whenever there is any development in it including institution, hearings, orders, notices, summons, comments, short order etc.

Digitisation holdup

While the IHC has launched the app, it is facing the daunting task of digitising all relevant records.

A court official told The Express Tribune that they have scanned over 10,000 files so far, but still have to scan and digitise at least 45,000 more files so that users across the country can use the “copy petition” function properly.

He added in the next stage, copies of the orders would be made available on mobile phones. Copies of orders are usually provided after a certain fee is filed to the bank and it was not immediately clear how the court intended to get around the bank fee.

So far, the application is available for android mobiles but the officials of the IT department have assured that a version will be available for Apple devices soon.



“With the invention of the mobile application, the IHC has taken the lead in the field of digitisation of courts and it would help reduce the sufferings of lawyers and litigants,” said Muhammad Waqas Malik, the Secretary General of the Islamabad High Court Bar Association (IHCBA).

Judges of the high court, district courts, special courts and a large number of lawyers attended the event.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 23^rd, 2016.