ISLAMABAD: In a major move aimed at reducing the judicial backlog, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has announced a 45-day deadline to dispose of all pending cases involving death sentences and life imprisonment.
According to an official statement, since October 2024 the total number of pending criminal cases has declined from 19,549 to 12,705, showing significant progress in case disposal.
Between February 9 and 14, 2026, the apex court disposed of 354 criminal cases related to death sentences and life imprisonment. During the same week, 131 new cases were filed. The weekly disposal rate was approximately 270 percent higher than the number of newly instituted cases.
The statement further said that all pending death penalty cases up to January 2026 will be decided on a priority basis.
Special benches, reform groups, and dedicated judicial teams have been constituted to meet the target. The Chief Justice of Pakistan has also directed that jail petitions filed by under-trial prisoners be streamlined and processed more swiftly.
A clear and predictable timeline, from the filing of jail petitions to the final verdict, will be introduced to ensure faster delivery of justice.
