RAWALPINDI:
As the year 2025 draws to a close, the 74 Sessions and Civil Courts of Rawalpindi District collectively decided only 26,658 cases, while 43,351 cases are currently pending in the Subordinate Courts of the district.
From 1 January to 30 November in the current year, a total of 26,658 judgments were handed down. Of these, convictions were secured in only 2,670 cases. During this period, 36 people were sentenced to death, 21 to life imprisonment, and approximately 25,000 people received sentences ranging from one month to fourteen years. Fines totaling Rs 317.9 million were also imposed.
At the beginning of the year, on 1 January 2025, there were 43,490 pending cases in the subordinate judiciary. During the year, 26,519 new cases were submitted for hearing. Sessions Judges disposed of 3,149 cases, while Civil Judges disposed of 18,730 cases.
Each year, between 40,000 and 45,000 cases remain unresolved. A major reason for this growing backlog is the acute shortage of judges in the district. Civil judges are forced to hear between 90 and 110 cases daily, while additional sessions judges deal with 30 to 45 cases a day. The limited number of judges continues to increase the pressure on the judicial system.
Senior legal expert Advocate Shanzeeb Khan, of the Supreme Court, said that timely submission of claims to courts should be strictly enforced.
He emphasized that forensic laboratories should be established at all departmental levels and the forensic laboratory established in Rawalpindi should be made operational immediately.
He added that if case dates are scheduled through mutual consultation between lawyers after framing of charges and distribution of challan copies, cases can be decided faster. He further emphasized the urgent need to increase the number of judges.
Meanwhile, District Bar Association President Sardar Manzar Bashir called for the appointment of two additional Sessions Judges and five Civil Judges in each tehsil of Rawalpindi district.
He also advocated changes to criminal law to reduce the number of official witnesses, proposing that only one witness statement be recorded per case. set. In addition, he urged that five additional Additional Sessions Judges and five additional Civil Judges be made available at the Divisional Headquarters.
