Islamabad:
The National Judicial Policy Manufacturing Committee (NJPMC) has approved uniform timelines for the disposal of various categories of civil and criminal cases under a new regime aimed at ensuring rapid justice and reducing the backlog of the case.
The 54th Meeting of NJPMC – Convenered Monday by the Supreme Court in Pakistan under the Presidency of Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Yahya Afridi – divided on key political issues while undergoing implementing status of the decisions made in the 53rd meeting.
The meeting attended the most important justice of all the high courts, while the lawyer for Pakistan (AGP) Mansoor Usman Awan participated in special invitation.
According to a detailed press release issued after the meeting, the committee was recognized, while the recognized “the commendable effort” made by the high courts, specific deadlines for the disposal of case ranging from two months to two years depending on the nature of the dispute.
The forum also approved the introduction of a double-docked court regime to speed up hearings and strengthen the effectiveness of the court.
According to the prescribed timelines, declaring suits relating to soil disputes must be decided within 24 months, while heirlooms must be resolved in 12 months. Termination cases on land disputes should be completed within six months.
Recovery suits dealing with public revenue or money conditions must be terminated in 12 months, while specific performance suits (contract enforcement) must be disposed of within 18 months.
Rent cases must be completed in six months, while family law suits – including questions about resolution, dower, maintenance and guardian – must also be decided in six months. Follow -up cases (undisputed) must be wrapped within two months.
The committee also prescribed timelines for the disposal of petitions. It decided that the Family Court decree will be decided in six months; Banking Court Decree in 12 months; Civil Court decree in 12 months, while rent cases will be decided in three months.
On the criminal side, cases involving young offenders are decided in accordance with the Act on Youth Law System, 2018 in six months; Trials, which carry a penalty of up to seven years, will be terminated in 12 months, while litigation that bears a penalty of more than seven years will be wrapped up for 18 months.
NJPMC has given 24 months – two years – to courts to decide murder attempts.
“These timelines will be considered one of the most important performance indicators of the judges’ performance evaluation and would be built on the dashboard,” the statement added.
By setting these uniform deadlines, NJMPC aims to bring consistency to the legal process and address long -term concerns about delays in the event of disposal. Officials said the relocation reflects the obligation of the judiciary to strengthen the rule of law and improve public confidence in the justice system.
NJPMC also unanimously repeated the need for a comprehensive mechanism to secure the production of any detained person before the magistrate within 24 hours to limit occurrences of enforced disappearance.
The Committee unanimously repeated its decision to strengthen institutional capacity, accelerate access to justice and ensure effective and effective justice.
It also emphasized the need for a comprehensive mechanism to ensure the production of detained persons before a magistrate within 24 hours. AGP assured that such a mechanism would be developed and placed for the committee at its next meeting.
The Committee also famous High Courts for formulating standard operation procedures (SOP) to protect the legal independence, but emphasized the involvement of stage timelines from complaint to complaint to final action.
It was decided that all such cases of foreign influence are reported within 24 hours and the action will be completed within 14 days. The SOPs should also provide immediate complaint measures to protect the complainant’s judge.
In addition, a reporting mechanism is desired for CJP for information and intervention where needed. The high courts inform the SOPs and share the same with the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan (LJCP).
The committee appreciated the significant progress made by the high courts of strengthening the commercial litigation, and recognized the CLC initiative as a big step towards promoting a robust and effective commercial trial framework.
To tackle the problem of long -term litigation and injunction orders in commercial, revenue and fiscal cases, a committee was set up to prepare recommendations.
The committee led by Supreme Court Judge Shafi Siddiqui includes Justice Abid Aziz Sheikh from Lahore High Court, Justice Agha Faisal, from Sindh High Court, Justice Arshad Ali from Peshawar High Court, AGP and Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) President.
“The committee must also examine the proposal from AGP for questions that arise as a result of recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitration prices and place its recommendations at the next meeting,” the statement states.
NJPMC expressed its appreciation of the progress of SHC and PHC’s progress that have made progress in establishing courts in the model. It noted that these efforts would contribute significantly to increasing access to justice and ensuring its effective and timely delivery.
Furthermore, it was observed that such initiatives reflect a strong institutional commitment to continuous improvement in order to make the legal system citizen-centered.
The forum, while valuing LHC’s efforts made to establish the civilian courts, decided that the high courts can pilot the initiative for oldest civilian cases in chronological order.
“The high courts can determine the number of civilian courts in the model in each district that keeps an eye on the number of target cases. The district and session the judges can award such cases for modeling civilian courts under a time -limited trial regime,” it added.
The committee also considered about prison reforms and decided to share the reports on provincial subcommittee and prison reform action plan with the high courts of input. A national prison policy will be formulated and placed before the next meeting.
