ISLAMABAD: Under Chief Justice Yahya Afridi, the Supreme Court has significantly accelerated the disposal of criminal cases, particularly those involving death sentences. Since October 28, 2024, the court has decided 238 death penalty appeals, over 52 percent of the 454 total cases. When Afridi took office, 410 such appeals were pending; with new cases added, the number rose to 454 but has since fallen to 216 due to faster hearings.
The overall case backlog in the Supreme Court has also declined from 59,435 to 56,715 as the number of working judges increased from 18 to 25. The court credits this progress to extended working hours and a strategic focus on long-pending cases.
However, lawyers have called for a formal performance report on constitutional benches (CBs) established after the 26th Constitutional Amendment, pointing out the lack of rules governing their operations. Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail, a CB judge, has expressed concerns about this regulatory gap.
There is also criticism over executive influence in judicial appointments, with some legal experts estimating that around 90 percent of appointments receive executive backing. Advocate Abdul Moiz Jaferii remarked that despite the improved case numbers, the dominance of the executive undermines judicial independence and the true meaning of justice. He added that the constitutional bench’s performance remains a concern.
