The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has entered a new phase of digital justice with the introduction of a smart, paperless digital court, marking a significant shift from conventional paper-based judicial proceedings. In practical terms, digitalisation means that case records and court proceedings are increasingly managed electronically, with judges and lawyers using courtroom screens, digital case-management systems and electronic records instead of relying entirely on physical files. The IHC already provides online case status, cause lists, judgments and orders, copy status, case-law services, e-Court facilities and electronic communication, while a recent circular has made submission of a complete digital copy mandatory with every newly filed case.
The transformation has not happened overnight. The IHC has been progressively automating its operations for years, with its official record showing digitisation and automation initiatives already in place by 2024, including a complete digitised case record, e-Court facilities, electronic communication, online proceedings and digital case-management systems. In September 2026, the Court took another major step by requiring digital copies of newly filed cases, followed by the formal inauguration on 1 October 2026 of Pakistan’s first smart, paperless digital court in Courtroom No. 1.
The move is expected to reduce dependence on physical files, improve access to case information, reduce administrative delays and make court services more accessible to lawyers and litigants. The IHC’s existing systems already allow users to obtain case information remotely, participate in e-Court proceedings and receive communications electronically. Looking ahead, the Court is moving towards a model in which case management, records, courtroom proceedings and communication increasingly operate through integrated digital systems, while the smart paperless courtroom provides a model for the wider digital transformation of judicial work.
