The Supreme Court of Pakistan has commended the exceptional performance of the district judiciary in disposing of time-bound cases, noting that 1,467,675 cases were decided between September 1, 2025, and July 31, 2026, against a reported pendency of 1,227,657 cases. The 62nd meeting of the National Judicial Policy Making Committee (NJPMC), chaired by the Chief Justice of Pakistan, was held at the Supreme Court on Friday. The chief justices of the Lahore, Peshawar, and Sindh High Courts, along with the registrar of the Islamabad High Court, attended the meeting.
The NJPMC reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening institutional capacity, improving access to justice, and ensuring an effective justice system. The committee observed that this landmark achievement demonstrated the effectiveness of clearly defined timelines, measurable targets, and sustained institutional monitoring. It placed on record its appreciation for the high courts, district judiciary, judicial officers, and staff for their concerted efforts.
The committee noted that the performance regarding time-bound cases had already been incorporated into the National Judicial Analytics Dashboard (NJAD) and directed the high courts to continue using the dashboard for regular performance monitoring and review. It resolved that the high courts would institutionalize and sustain the time-bound disposal mechanism through regular performance reviews and timely remedial measures. It was stressed that performance briefings before the chief justices should be held at least once a month, focusing particularly on disposal, pendency, and compliance with prescribed timelines.
The meeting reviewed progress on the proposed mechanism for redressing cases involving enforced disappearances and the establishment of a commission. In this regard, the Ministry of Law and Justice was directed to finalize the matter concerning enforced disappearances at the earliest and present a comprehensive report at the next meeting. The high courts were directed to continue the system of deciding time-bound cases on a permanent basis.
The meeting was informed that the Model Criminal Courts had decided 91,071 cases from September 1, 2025, to July 31, 2026, while the Model Civil Courts had decided 42,386 cases during the same period. The Model Criminal and Civil Courts collectively decided 133,457 cases. The NJPMC described the performance of the model courts as a reflection of the strong institutional commitment of the high courts and district judiciary.
The high courts were directed to focus further on reducing the backlog of old and long-pending cases. The NJPMC unanimously decided to initiate the process of developing a legal framework for the judicial service. The high courts may develop a legal framework for the judicial service on the pattern of the Balochistan District Judiciary Act, 2021.