The growing backlog of cases in Pakistani courts has become a major obstacle to justice, causing millions of citizens to wait years for resolution. There are currently more than 2.3 million cases pending in the courts, with major cities like Karachi and Lahore alone having tens of thousands of cases each. This delay not only frustrates litigants but also erodes public confidence in the judicial system. In criminal cases, individuals can spend years in jail awaiting trial, while civil and family cases drag on indefinitely, preventing timely justice and closure. To deal with this, the government should prioritize judicial reforms. Increasing the number of judges, improving the case management system and implementing alternative dispute resolution (ADR) methods can reduce the burden on the courts.
S Ramsha Abbas Rizvi
Karachi