ISLAMABAD: In another step towards use of technology by the apex court, for the first time senior lawyer Khalid Anwar, argued a case from his home through a video-link. On the direction of the apex court, IT staff at the Karachi Registry made arrangements at Anwar's house, as he could not appear due to the coronavirus.

Justice Mushir Alam said they had directed the IT staff to provide a video-link facility at Anwar's home. He said now this facility could be extended to other counsels. Justice Qazi Faez Isa, in April, had suggested that in view of the coronavirus pandemic, cases might be heard by the use of video-conferencing applications after the confirmation of the lawyer's identity.

The applications such as Skype, WhatsApp, Telegram or any other suitable video conferencing application be installed in the said Supreme Court mobile phone, and the counsel should also be asked to install the same application in their devices.

He also proposed maintaining transparency and openness during the proceedings, and that the screen of the court mobile phone may be mirrored on television sets which are already installed in every courtroom. "The possibility of preserving the recording of the court proceedings (six months) be explored," the proposal stated. The order proposed that each courtroom or bench be provided with a WiFi-connected mobile phone, while the number of cellular devices to be mentioned in the cause list, and on the website of the apex court.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020