Currently 59,191 cases are pending before Supreme Court, Full Court told  

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court’s full court session on Monday was informed that there were currently 59,191 cases pending in the Supreme Court.

Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi presided over the two-hour meeting, which all apex court judges attended. Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, currently in Saudi Arabia for Umrah, participated via video link.

During the in-camera session, the Supreme Court registrar presented a report indicating that Justice Mansoor Ali Shah, the senior puisne judge, prepared a one-month plan as part of the Court’s strategy for timely case resolution.

The meeting aimed to review the Supreme Court’s performance in case handling, focusing on reducing the case backlog and improving judicial efficiency.

The Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan’s Bi-Annual Report on Judicial Statistics for July to December 2023 reported a 3.9% increase in pending cases, now totaling 2.26 million across various courts. Of these, approximately 1.86 million cases, or 82%, are pending in district courts, while the remaining 18%, or 0.39 million, are pending at higher judicial levels.

The SC’s strategy includes setting clear standards and utilizing technology to manage cases efficiently. Judges reviewed this plan and discussed various strategies to meet these targets. Under the monthly plan, criminal and civil cases were allocated to specialized and three-member benches to expedite resolutions.

Judges offered recommendations for further improving the system, reinforcing their dedication to addressing the backlog.

Justice Shah proposed a phased approach, starting with a one-month plan, followed by three-month and six-month plans, to enhance procedural efficiency and reduce case delays.

Chief Justice Afridi expressed gratitude for the judges’ commitment to implementing the Case Management Plan fully. Progress on the plan will be reviewed at the next full court meeting scheduled for December 2, 2024.