–Records show over 42,000 cases were pending before apex court in Nov 2018
ISLAMABAD: Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar has claimed that Pakistan’s justice system is the best in the world, Radio Pakistan reported on Wednesday.
The top judge, who is set to retire on January 17, was addressing an event organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association (SCBAP) in his honour.
During his speech, the CJP asserted that the Constitution of Pakistan guarantees equal rights and provisions for all citizens irrespective of belief, creed or religion.
However, he raised attention to the need for legal reforms in the country.
While the outgoing CJP remained particularly active in matters related to maladministration and public interest, records show that there were more than 42,000 cases pending before the Supreme Court (SC) in November 2018, with an increase of 2,125 over a one-year period.
According to the fortnightly Summary Statement of Case Institution, Disposal and Pendency, the number of pending cases in the apex court stood at 42,254 on November 30, 2018.
During Chief Justice Nisar’s 20-month tenure, almost 8,000 cases have been added to the litigations pending in the apex court. Overall, there has been a 100 per cent increase in the backlog of SC cases since 2013, when the number of pending cases was 20,480.
In 2001, the number of pending cases was 13,070 and the figure has steadily increased with each passing year.
In the 14 years from 2003 to 2016, the number of pending cases, respectively, was 20,031; 27,614; 14,984; 13,724; 15,186; 17,754; 18,359; 20,234; 20,228; 20,314; 20,480; 22,979; 27,639; and 32,744.
On the other hand, the SC decided 16,897 cases from September 6, 2017, till June 30, 2018.
