Justice Delayed: Peshawar Courts Struggle With Over 313,000 Pending Cases


(MENAFN- Tribal News Network) The number of pending cases in the Peshawar High Court and its subordinate courts has surpassed 313,000. From January 2018 to April 2024, a staggering 3,328,472 cases were filed, out of which 3,234,351 have been resolved.

Petitioners frequently visit courts, but cases often drag on for years. Many cases involving terrorism, murder, attempted murder, theft, robbery, property disputes, family courts, and other crimes have remained unresolved for several years. This year, the number of pending cases has exceeded 300,000.

Currently, the Peshawar High Court has 14 judges, including the Chief Justice, with a shortage of six judges. Following the merger of tribal districts into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, a commission led by Sartaj Aziz promised the creation of ten additional judge positions in the High Court to handle the increased caseload. However, six years later, these positions have yet to be created.

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According to statistics, the Peshawar High Court had 41,337 pending cases this year, while district courts recorded 272,316 pending cases. In January 2018, the High Court had 27,989 pending cases. From January 2018 to April 2024, 179,027 cases were filed in the High Court, and 173,068 were resolved during the same period. District courts had 244,056 pending cases in January 2018.

During the same period, district courts received 3,328,472 cases of various types, resolving 3,061,283 cases. From January to April this year, the Peshawar High Court had a higher resolution rate, with 10,162 new cases filed and 10,813 cases resolved. In contrast, district courts recorded a higher filing rate, with 169,251 new cases and 176,642 cases resolved during the same period.

The Peshawar High Court Bar Association has noted that ad-hoc judges were appointed in Islamabad to reduce the burden of cases. Lawyers in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Peshawar, have been demanding an increase in the number of judges for years.

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Tribal News Network

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