Expeditious delivery of justice to ordinary citizens is a hallmark of democratic societies. The situation on this front is quite disturbing; with most ordinary citizens waiting decades for justice as their cases remain pending. On the other hand, influential people get their cases heard swiftly. Recently, the courts were opened at midnight in response to the calls of powerful political actors. However, ordinary citizens are denied this opportunity, with many people having suffered for generations as a result.
The courts are the citizens’ last resort for redressing their grievances and failure to live up to their expectations will erode trust in state institutions. The government also needs to support the Judiciary in overcoming its capacity constraints so that court cases can be disposed of in a timely manner.
Asad Aziz
Khushab